A reminder that what Christians believe is not something humanity created, but something that was given to us by God: "For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ." - Galatians 1:11-12.

If this is true -- and we believe it is and must be for the gospel to actually be good news at all -- then what we have is something greater than ourselves.

So when we hear the gospel, we hear something not of this world. It's a message from another world about another life and another hope.

It's not something you can hold in your hands. It's an invitation to step out into the other - into the mysterious. The gospel is the mysterious, the alien and incomprehensible made known.

If it were just from human minds, all we would have is an invitation to self-help from other people. We'd have nothing transcendent. Self-help may be what you believe Christianity is, but that's not what Christianity claims about itself. Christianity claims the transcendent -- the God delivered.

Don't settle for a 'man-made' Christianity if you're a Christian. Demand something more for your soul because God insisted on delivering something more to you. Don't reject a 'man-made' Christianity and never grapple with a transcendent Christianity if you're not a Christian. Demand more for yourself because God is still delivering a transcendent hope today.