Comments on: Chazown | Craig Groeschel

By: Phil Gons

Phil Gons — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 17:34:59 +0000

Thanks for the follow-up comments, Benjamin.

By: Benjamin Potter

Benjamin Potter — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 16:15:10 +0000

Phil, I agree with you that Groeschel does the same that too many modern-day, American evangelicals do with the verse from Proverbs—namely turn the verse on a poor translation of a single word in the verse. I would tend to argue that the use of the word in Proverbs points more to having a “vision” of the God than a vision from God. Consequently it’s one of the drawbacks to the book, but works for the packaging. The other concern that the book draws out of me is the same type of issue that grew out of Wilkinson’s Prayer of Jabez: the temptation to turn the material into a mantra that will turn our lives into life on the gravy train.

That said, you’re right also that the ideology Groeschel puts forth as to developing a “vision” for one’s life (and one that’s based in God’s will/vision for us) is helpful. The difficulty comes in when we try to prooftext our lives. In that regard, we see the same kind of abuse of Romans 8:28 almost daily in the life of the church.

By: Phil Gons

Phil Gons — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 15:14:04 +0000

Thanks for the review, Benjamin. I haven’t read the book, but based on your comments there’s one thing that I would take issue with. The title of the book is based on the Hebrew word חָזוֹן, which is translated as “vision” in the KJV of Pro 29:18. This verse is often interpreted incorrectly. Many assume that it means “the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom; a mental image of what the future will or could be like” (Concise OED). While this is a valid use of the English word, it is not the meaning of the Hebrew word, which here has reference to a revelatory vision from God.

The idea of the verse is brought out more clearly in modern translations like the NIV: “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.”

Now, I’m not suggesting that “vision” in the sense Groeschel is using it is a bad thing to have, just that this is nowhere found in Prov 29:18.