Blue Like Jazz – My Two Cents Worth

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When Donald Miller’s Book “Blue Like Jazz” was published in 2003 it caught many people’s attention.  It especially appealed to those who grew up in a conservative church background who struggled to resolve the shame or embarrassment they may have felt for being “Christian” as a result of their seemingly culturally-disconnected, religious experience.  The book chronicles Donald Miller’s personal journey to reconcile his own exposure to a hypocritical, imperfect, Southern Baptist upbringing with his personal search for a God who is much more than his religious experience made Him out to be.

Some more conservative critics of the book did not care for the license of exploratory freedom it seemed to endorse for the curious, Christian college student.  Some people accused Miller of thinking himself a modern-day, C.S. Lewis who endorsed drinking, philosophizing, and sitting on rooftops and smoking pipes while contemplating the meaning of life.  Despite the controversy, I personally enjoyed the book although I would not completely align with Miller’s convictions.

Recently, I had the opportunity to view a pre-screening of Steve Taylor’s movie version of the book, premiering in a limited number of theaters April 13, 2012.  As with most books-made-to-movies it really isn’t a movie version of the book but rather a spin-off of the main story line.  After the screening I had the privilege to hear from producer Steve Taylor, author Donald Miller, and main character Marshall Allman who plays Don’s character in the film.  It was a healthy experience to hear from them personally instead of reading what others may take away from their intentions for making the film.

As this is not an official movie review, I will not summarize the plot, storyline, etc.  However, the purpose for this post is to lend a few warnings and some advice for those who may be wondering whether or not to give the movie a chance.

First, if you are a card-carrying Southern Baptist you will most likely be offended by the movie.  In fact, you may not make it 10 minutes before contemplating walking out.  I do not say this to stir the pot of controversy; I simply offer this as a caution that you may want to save your money.  Let me explain.  Miller’s own experience in his Southern Baptist upbringing is hokey, embarrassing, and hypocritical.  He also does not qualify this as a unique experience but rather labels it “Southern Baptist” and leaves it at that.  Having been raised a Southern Baptist, as well as run away from some of the same things Donald ran away from before truly pursuing Christ with abandon, I resonate with what he communicates in the film.  However, I do not endorse that this is the only culture one will find in a Southern Baptist church.  In fact, I am the singles pastor at a Southern Baptist Church currently and there are great, authentic, God-honoring things happening in multiple areas here.  Regardless, if you salute the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) with the same fervor as you salute the American flag and the Christian flag, save your money.

On the other hand, if you can prepare yourself to fight against the non-spiritual gift of “being offended,” you just may discover some very real questions and redeeming answers that are currently running through the mainstream thoughts of the 20-40 somethings across our country, today.  For anyone who has run the gauntlet of the college party life only to come up wanting, this film will resonate.  For anyone who has contemplated the mystery of God and how to reconcile that with the pull of worldly temptations, this film will resonate.  For anyone who has ever been embarrassed to share your faith for fear of rejection, this film will resonate.  If you are a Christian and have friends in the party crowds who seem disinterested in religious matters, you should bring them to this film; it just may resonate.  Their eternity hangs in the balance.

A few more precautions:  Donald Miller does not resolve his less-than-favorable memory of his SBC roots, with one exception.  In the movie, Miller’s character admits that while he was originally ashamed of his church culture, he later came to admit he was actually ashamed of Jesus (sobering revelation).  Also, this is not your typical “Christian” film nor is it even a family film (check the ratings).  Rather, it is a film designed for anyone, college-age or older, who has ever struggled with reconciling their less-than-perfect experience in religious culture with the true nature of the God of the Universe.

Spend the ten bucks.  You be the judge.  It will be worth your time…

Staying Above the Fray

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Many years ago I heard an expression.  When asked how someone was doing I heard the response of, “I’m staying above the fray.”  Interpreted: keeping yourself centered and together at a point ahead of (or above) when things seem to come apart; like a garment who’s hemming is gone and the material is beginning to lose its integrity and beginning to “fray.”

Last night I watched the 2012 NCAA men’s college basketball championship game between Kentucky and Kansas.  At the opening of the game the National Anthem was sung (or should I say performed).  An impressive force of Marines clutched a massive flag at center court only to be fully displayed during the Anthem itself.  These men who put their lives on the line daily for our freedoms were carefully and passionately gripping the proud colors for which they stand and fall.  And then there was the song…

I have witnessed some pretty awful renditions of America’s National Anthem in years past, but it is typically due to the lack of skill of the performer; not so in this case.  Grammy Award-winning, alternative rock band, “The Fray” performed one of the most dreadful executions of Lady Liberty’s theme song I have ever witnessed.  This is a highly talented and popular band and I personally enjoy their music.  However, a line seemed to be crossed when they took the song that unites a country and dumbed-it-down to an alternative, acoustic, hillbilly-esque nightmare.  This song strikes a chord in every true American’s heart (or it should!) because it is a proclamation of our independence as a nation; our freedom.  We are at a sad state of affairs when leading Americans in the patriotic chorus that unites us all has been belittled to “performing” it with the latest creative flair…and failing miserably.  Please hear me clearly, I have nothing against the band “The Fray” and I am not even demeaning their intentions.  I am simply stating that due to the history and meaning of this particular ballad of shed blood, their attempt to be culturally relevant went just a bit too far; they didn’t stay above the fray.

After stomaching this less than honorable performance I began to think about the current state of affairs concerning the church in America.  Throughout the Great Awakenings and the formidable years of our country, some of the most sacred words of the atoning work of Christ, and our resulting freedoms, were penned as songs of worship to our Lord.  These too were ballads of shed blood, but from the One who sacrificed more than any of us ever could: Jesus Christ.  Many of these songs are still sung in houses of worship today.  Some of them have been re-worked in an effort to put a relevant cultural spin on them but I don’t believe, for the most part, that they have been robbed of their meaning.  Try to re-work the Hallelujah Chorus and we just might have a problem, but so far I think we are good…we are above the fray.

Taking this line of thinking one step further begs the question, “How are we doing in the general corporate expression of God’s church; His Bride?”  We are living in an era where many churches are dying and many new expressions of church are rising from the ashes.  At the same time, many of our foundational churches with great legacies are still alive and well, thriving in the midst of an ever-evolving culture.  Both of these culturally relevant forms of His Body are legitimate and necessary in our constantly changing world.  We need the foundational churches of the past and present to show us the way and to guide us in the ways of God.  We also need the creatively expressive and artistic, cause-oriented churches of today to lead us in piercing through the bullet-proof shell of a world that has become ignorant of the Creator and grown cold to the freedoms afforded by the Cross.  Both of these culturally different expressions of the Body of Christ are necessary to reach the dying and depraved world around us.  I believe the best expression of the church should actually contain elements of both; a literal bridge between yesterday and tomorrow.  The last time I checked the Scriptures, Jesus is only coming for One Bride.  Certainly there can be variations of biblically sound expressions of the church.  However, if we could somehow take the experience, wisdom, commitment, and financial resolve of those who have gone before and combine it with the creative genius, compassion, we-can-liberate-the-world, cause-oriented hearts of the more energetic generations of today, we just might be a church worth marrying.  We must not forget the passionate foundations of our Christian roots (all the way back to Jesus).  We must not abandon the creativity and passion of the up-and-coming culture of today.  We must be a church with the longevity of the past, the creativity of today, and the passion for rescuing this world from itself as we hold the beauty of the Cross ever before us.  We must stay above the fray…

The Good Life…is Messy

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I don’t know about you, but I am a “do-it-yourself” kind of guy.  I figure, if someone else can do it then I can probably figure it out and possibly even do it better.  Now this doesn’t apply to everything; I go to the doctor when I am sick, the dentist when I need a cleaning, and the cheapest hair place I can find when I need a cut (sometimes I regret that last one).  But in a variety of areas I like to tackle the job myself.

Anytime I head out on a do-it-yourself venture, I always picture the completed project; I am a visionary.  I see the potential in a bare wall and a gallon of paint or a yard full of weeds and a shiny new mower sitting idle, just waiting to level the place.  When my wife and I looked at the first house we bought and pictured the transformation, everybody thought we were crazy (Tracy even questioned my sanity for awhile).  But we bought a 75-year-old bungalow sporting a drop ceiling, chocolate shag carpet, old plumbing and electrical wiring, and a kitchen that had been remodeled nine times (each layer on top of the previous one).  Eighteen months later we had one of the neatest houses on the block.  I re-plumbed half the house, re-wired the whole house, removed the drop ceiling, gutted and rebuilt the kitchen, had the hardwood floors refinished, painted, and put in a new yard.  It was even better than I pictured; but whole a lot harder to accomplish as well.  Looking at the before and after photos, it’s still hard to believe what took place.  The toughest part of the whole project, however, was putting up with the messes along the way.  When we gutted the kitchen, for example, we had a three-foot-high pile of wood, plaster, nails, and dust that had to be moved before we could continue.  There were nights when I stayed up half the night tiling the kitchen or wiring in the attic.  It was a long process and sometimes there seemed to be more mess along the way than there was improvement.  In the end, however, the finished project was worth the headache.

This same approach can be applied to our lives as well.  It is possible to stay protected and tidy in our own little predictable worlds, however the end product is usually not anything worth having or living.  When we face our battles and venture into the land of unpredictability, blood is sometimes spilled along the way; life is messy.  You may have heard the saying, “Anything worth having is worth fighting for.”  This is true, but there is also another saying I like in Proverbs 14: 4.  It says, “Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.”  In other words, oxen are messy beasts but if used in the proper way, they can bring a great reward to your life.

God is always interested in taking us from where we are, to a place where we are more like Him.  One day, the finished project of our lives will be breathtaking if we stay true to His calling, His will, and His promises.  In the mean time, however, there are bound to be some messes along the way.  The key to living the good life is not getting caught up in the messes, but trudging through them in pursuit of something greater.  What dream are you chasing?  Can you picture the possibilities?  Is the unpredictable mess along the way keeping you from your greatest potential?  To quote Dustin Hoffman in the movie, Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium: “Your life is an occasion; rise to it.”  The good life is messy.

God’s Will… “for Me?”

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When I was a kid, I dreamed of being many things when I grew up.  I dreamed of being a policeman, an artist, a rock star, and even a star athlete (church softball does not count…I’ve proven that).  We all have dreams of being someone great or at least doing something great…something that matters.  In the midst of this honest aspiration, however, it’s easy to become distracted by fixating on ourselves rather than the bigger story around us.  It is a narrow but all too common perspective to focus our attention on our part in the story of life rather than on God’s bigger plan for the world.  If we are not careful, this can become an Achilles heel to our contribution to this world; letting our personal platform overshadow our greater purpose.

In the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel we read of the angel Gabriel who came to Zechariah to announce the birth of his son, John.  After 400 years of silence from God, and after a lifetime of childlessness for Zechariah and Elizabeth, this news was life-changing to say the least.  It seemed so supernatural, so incomprehensible that Zechariah asked for additional confirmation.  Gabriel quickly informed Zechariah that he talked too much and fixed that problem with nine months of silence until he held his son in his arms (difficult to continue doubting at that point).  However, this is only a sidebar to the bigger picture, here.  The greater story lies in Elizabeth’s heart.

When Elizabeth was five months pregnant her words recorded in verse 25 read, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” After a lifetime of barrenness, Elizabeth initially saw this miracle as the Lord fixing her; coming to her rescue so that others will think differently of her.  This is certainly true as Gabriel tells Zechariah back in verse 14 saying, “And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth…”  As we know, however, the story is so much bigger that what Elizabeth originally perceived!  Verses 16 and 17 confirm this: “And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”  Did you see it?  Did you catch that?!  This is obviously not just about Elizabeth.  She was a piece within a greater puzzle, as are we all.  This was a story that began with Elizabeth (and Zechariah), but then it moved to a bigger story about John, which is ultimately an even bigger story about Jesus and God’s plan to save humanity.

So what’s the takeaway?  We can and should rejoice in what God does for us in this life; but we can’t stop there.  We can and must rejoice also in what God does through us.  Your life is not about God’s will for you alone; it is about God’s will for us all…

Collar Stays, Nose Hairs and Bride (of Christ) Wars

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As I am sure is true in your own life, there are many things that have the ability get on my nerves, i.e. under my skin, so to speak.  Most of them I can dismiss with rather little effort.  However, there are a few things that I have a much more difficult time dealing with:

First, is the guy who wears a shirt with a collar that curls up because he doesn’t know about collar stays.  Gentlemen, these are little, thin pieces of plastic with a rounded point at one end which you slide in the pocket sewn under your collar on both sides.  They usually come with new shirts but are also available at any department store in small quantities…use them; quit looking like little Billy in the second grade on Easter Sunday morning.

Second, is the guy (or lady…eeww) who refuses to even notice or care that he/she is growing a garden from their shnaz.  A little inspection in the mirror and a quick use of some trimmers will help you breath better and, more importantly, look less like the roots of your brain are creeping out your nose onto your face.

Third, and most importantly now that the humor has left the building, are Christians who assemble and call themselves a church but believe everyone else “doing church” is in the wrong.  This is not a name calling session because I am recovering from this condition myself.  However, in the past few years God has opened my eyes to a painful truth.  It seems as if many Christian churches forget that we are one Bride.  In eternity, there will be one church, one Bride of Christ, one body of the redeemed…and we are to be one body even today.  For sure there are many different and valid expressions of the church culturally today.  But therein lies the problem; it doesn’t seem like we are okay with that fact.  The greatest point of division within the body of Christ followers has for some time now been the style of worship music.  This topic has been beat to death and then beat some more.  New church plants are beginning and many are simply looking for a fresh, culturally current way to express themselves in the worship of Christ.  I am perfectly okay with and actually excited about the new church planting movement happening across America today…much of this is needed.  According to information posted at www.turnaroundchurches.org, somewhere around 3,000 churches close their doors for good every year in our country. They also report that churches, 20 years old or older are mostly in decline…and this bothers me greatly.

Although I am a huge proponent for new church plants and new communities rising up, the foundational churches across our great country have much to offer and we need each other in order to be the Bride whom Jesus desires to marry.  Foundational churches are those who have lived through seasons, decades even, and some even a century or more and many of them need to be revitalized because God still has great plans for them.  These churches are filled with seasoned veterans in the faith and are usually debt free.  The funny thing is, the style of worship music seems to be the greatest chasm between new churches and foundational churches.  As I was kicking this back and forth in my head, it hit me.  In the secular world, no one would ever expect me to listen to the music my grandmother listened to or even what the generation before me listened to.  I may choose to do this, but it would never be expected that I prefer it.  Just as well, I would never expect granny to enjoy the music I like today.  We each come from generations which have expressed themselves in the music of that generation and nobody has ever had a problem with that.  This poses the question: Why do we seem to have such a hang up when other Christians don’t prefer “my” style of worship music.  A little truth here: the generation within which a song is produced or appreciated does not determine it’s heavenly value.  Rather, the words of the song and their biblical accuracy are what counts.  There are many old hymns that are sacred because of their words and there are many others that are simply horrible and should have never been written.  The same is true with today’s worship music (see John MacArthur’s book “Fools Gold” for more on this subject). The key is in accepting the fact that music is not “sacred” or more “holy” simply because that is what one person is used to. Why is musical preference and the preference of worship expression different than the secular music preference…it shouldn’t be.

I say all of this to point out that both new churches and foundational churches each need each other.  We are both commanded to show the world that we worship the same God with the same fervency, albeit in a few different genres.  Generations gone by need the creativity and fervency of the generations of today.  And the generations of today need the spiritual wisdom, life lessons, and maturity of the foundational generations of years past.  Somehow, some way we must get this right.  It is for the sake of the Kingdom of God and the people Christ died for.  “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us [all of us] to God.”  1 Peter 3:18 ESV

According to Your Faith be it Done to You…

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In 1997, Darrell Evans wrote a song on the front end of the contemporary worship movement called, “Trading My Sorrows.”  If you have been a Christian for a while you are most likely familiar with it.  The song is pretty repetitive of one particular phrase, “Yes, Lord.”  The celebratory nature of this song which talks about trading your temporary sorrows of today for joy that comes in the morning was inspired, according to Evans, by 2 Cor. 4:8-9 and Psalm 30:5.  The song was embraced by many but more difficult to take hold with others.  I was recently talking with a worship leader friend of mine remembering when this song first appeared.  We agreed how the excitement of saying “yes” to the Lord inspired a new generation of worshippers.  We also acknowledged that saying it 72 times in the same song caused other generations bristle with critique of such a simple song.  Then I read it…the words of Matthew 9:27-31.

Matthew describes two blind men who were crying out to Jesus, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.”  Jesus asked the men if they believed He could heal their blindness.  Their response was simple…“Yes, Lord.”  The Scriptures tell us, “Then he touched their eyes, saying, ‘According to your faith be it done to you.’ And their eyes were opened.”

So the obvious question to each of us in this moment is, “Do we believe Jesus can heal us?”  What is it that is making you fearful?  What concerns are wrecking your sleep patterns or your daily interactions with the world?  What is it that is blinding you to the healing power of Jesus?  Do you believe Jesus can heal you?  Do you believe he wants to?…What are you waiting for?

Jesus continues to heal me daily of the struggles of my life.  I can’t get through a single rising of the sun and going down of the same without his touch.  And when I comprehend the power of his healing, I respond with ”Yes, Lord!”…and I’ve even been known to repeat it up to 72 times.

Status Update, Eulogy, or Legacy?

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Status Update

In the day and age of blogs, status updates, tweets and the like, it is incredibly easy to become obsessed with what is happening in other people’s lives. Likewise, it can be just as tempting to become overly intrigued by what others say about us. Have you ever logged on to your facebook account (provided you have one) just to see if anyone commented about something you posted? Or perhaps your tweeted something clever hoping that somewhat finds it worthy enough to re-tweet? Unfortunately, I have been guilty of this on more than one occasion. It is somewhat human to want others to say good things about you…especially if you can log on and read what they wrote in real time. #vanity

Eulogy

I wonder if we would view life differently if we spent as much time concerned with what others will say about us after we are gone from this earth as we do about what they are saying today? Living a life worthy of a proper eulogy takes what we say and what we do to a different level. However, even then words spoken at a funeral will last but for the moment and then become a distant memory only occasionally revisited in a dated scrapbook or photo album.

Legacy

Instead of concerning ourselves so much with what people are saying about us today, or perhaps what they will say about us after we are gone, I am convicted that we must take it one step further and live our lives concerned more with how others live their lives because of us after we are gone.

Mentioning God in a post or having others refer to how much we used to talk about God still leaves us lacking in what God’s mandate is for our lives. The generation following Joshua’s life completely dropped the ball on this to the extent that it is recorded in the Scriptures: “And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110 years….And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.” Judges 2:8-10 ESV

I am challenged more today than ever before to serve God in such a way that my life becomes a catalyst for life-change in others. We are each called to be such catalysts by Jesus’ own words before He departed the earth: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 ESV

Considering the options, the following questions remain: Are we living for current validation from others, for kind words to be spoken after we are gone, or maybe, just maybe to change the world because of how we lived for Christ? Status update…Eulogy…or Legacy? What are you living for?

The 50 Yard Line

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There are times in my life where I wish I could sit at the 50 yard line and take a look at my own life from way up in the grandstands.  The other night I needed to get some time alone with God.  It was after dark and I drove over to the local high school.  I climbed up to the top of the grandstands (not an easy task in the dark!) and then sat down on the top row at the 50 yard line.  I sat there for about an hour and half praying, thinking, meditating over my life and trying to hear clearly from God on some important matters.  It was the quietest experience I ever had sitting on the 50 yard line of a football stadium.  There is a reason some of the coaching staff of college and professional teams sit in a box, up high, near mid-field during a game.  They can see everything from a good perspective and make the best decisions for the next play based on what they see.  Unfortunately for most of us, we are so busy running up and down the field of our lives that we never gain the perspective from the 50 yard line.

Although we may not have the privilege to get to sit in box seats and watch our lives unfold from the best seats in the stadium, we can trust that if our faith is completely in God, then He will be with us and lift us up, especially in times of trouble.  In chapter 37:23-24 the Psalmist writes, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord  upholds his hand.”  So many times I can recall one of my children walking beside me, holding the hand of their father and then tripping over something unexpectedly.  In that moment I always grab their hand even more firmly and keep them from hitting the ground.   That is what these verses say that God does for us.  Even when times get tough, we won’t fall flat on our faces because God doesn’t let go of our hands; in fact when we start to trip he tightens his grip.

The challenge for today is not longing for the 50 yard line view of our lives, but to spend time regularly walking hand-in-hand with the Savior and trusting completely in His grip on our lives.

Worship More Important Than Missions?

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I recently came across a thought-provoking statement by John Piper referenced in a textbook on world missions:

“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church.  Worship is.  Missions exists because worship doesn’t.  Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man.  When the age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more.  It is a temporary necessity.  But worship abides forever.”

At first glance this statement could perhaps be offensive to those whose Christian experiences are more centered on missions.  However, a careful read of the theology behind Piper’s statement proves its validity.  Ultimately, we were made to worship God.  Missions exists because we live in a broken world where millions are separated from the initially designed experience of knowing and worshipping the God of the universe.  The depressing reality of the unnatural separation between God and man should cause our worship to go deeper and our call to evangelize the world through missions to be more critical than ever before.  The depth of our worship of God should be in direct proportion to our calling to reach the world…

How would you describe the authenticity and necessity of your worship of God?  Something for all of us to think about.

When in Rome…

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Several years ago my wife and I had the blessing of traveling to Rome, Italy.  The trip was amazing.  The sites we saw and the culture we encountered were all new to us; we had never been there before.  We did a good deal of sight seeing, and eating at quaint little bistros, while also squeezing in day trips to Florence and the Island of Capri.  If you ever have the opportunity to take a similar trip, I recommend you do all that is in your power to seize the moment.

During our Italian getaway, we took numerous pictures so that we could look back later and remember the fabulous trip.  But even without looking at the photo album, I can still remember the hot, muggy air of Rome in July coupled with the refreshing sensation of splashing the ice-cold tap water on my face in the middle of the day (this was truly refreshing and surprising each time I turned on the water at any place we stopped…it was always really cold!).  I also remember the smells of the city, the sounds of the scooters and smart cars whizzing by (and the occasional Ferrari).  I remember the crystal blue ocean and brilliant flowers from the island of Capri and the grandeur of the basilicas (churches).  But my favorite memory was of a plaza known as Piazza Navona.  In the late afternoon, people would gather in this plaza which was about the size of two or three football fields, end-to-end.  There were several fountains running down the center, with a quaint street running the perimeter of the square.  In the afternoons, cars would not be allowed into the square and it would fill with people.  These people were tourists, performing artists, painters, etc.  It was like an impromptu exhibition of local talent…it was raw…it was life…it was Rome.

We bought a painting of the little bistro where we ate and I also have a framed charcoal drawing of my wife Tracy that one the artists created for us.  These are my memories of Rome.  As I remember these once-in-a-lifetime snapshots of our experience there, I am reminded that there are much more ancient pieces of the history of this place that are even more life-giving.  These pieces of history can be found in a letter addressed the ancient Christians of this great city.  It is the book of Romans penned by the Apostle Paul.  Although my memories of Rome are life-inspiring, Paul’s words are life-giving.  We would each do well to cherish not only our memories of the lives we live each day but also the lives we were meant to live for eternity.  Let me refresh your memory:

Romans 3:23 ESV
…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 3:10 ESV
…as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;

Romans 6:23 ESV
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8 ESV
…but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 10:9 ESV
…if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:13 ESV
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 5:1 ESV
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:38-39 ESV
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.