xag.org Redeeming the Time

The XAG principle

Origins

After watching Left Behind: The Movie, I began to think about what big things could be done by Christian people working together. God laid the phrase, "Redeeming the Time, Redeeming the Technology" on my heart as a motto with which to use my personal talents for ministry.
Nearly a year later, God led me to look again at the passage on which the motto was based. Ephesians 5:15-16 reads,

"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

Yes, the days are evil. I researched the word for "redeeming" in the verse above, and I found the Greek word, exagorazo.

XAG has ancient roots

XAG (pronounced "zag") comes from part of three Greek words found in the New Testament. Each word has its own meaning.

Exagello (Strong's 1804) - to tell out or forth; to declare abroad, divulge, publish; to make known by praising or proclaiming, to celebrate
Exagorazo (Strong's 1805) - to make wise and sacred use of every opportunity for doing good, so that zeal and well doing are as it were the purchase money by which we make the time our own
Exago (Strong's 1806) - to lead out
In each of the words above, the letters "X-A-G" occur in the same place. Because of this, the new word, XAG, encompasses all three:

eXAGello - praising the Lord through the works of our hands and the words of our mouth
eXAGorazo - redeeming all things that Satan has used as tools of evil in an evil world by creating excellence for the Kingdom
eXAGo - leading people out of destructive and divisive denominational factions* for the purpose of working together to accomplish what God wants for this generation of believers.
* Denominations are not inherently bad, but often they isolate people through group by way of ignorance, and little effort is made to cross the boundaries they create.

XAG has modern roots

The pronunciation of the word XAG is the same as the second syllable of the term "zigzag." The American Heritage Dictionary defines a "zag" as "One of a series of sharp turns or reversals." This modern word is a clear picture of what the redemption in Ephesians 5:16 is all about. It means to go against the trend. It means to reverse course.

XAG is a word

As outlined above, XAG is a word that I hope becomes a part of every modern Christian's vocabulary. It embodies the mission of much of the body of Christ that has long been atrophied and weak.

XAG is an attitude

The XAG frame of mind looks for new ways to reverse the evil in the world by using the very same tools that Satan uses for evil. When Satan uses the Internet to spread pornography, Christians can use the Internet to spread the Gospel. When Satan uses the media (radio, television, movies) to spread a secular, naturalistic message, Christians can use those very things to spread a message of salvation, hope, and eternal life.

Values

XAG holds at its core several important principles. They may seem obvious to some, but revolutionary and even rebellious to others. XAG is for those people who are ready for its message.

Most laypeople do not know how to use "ordinary" skills for God

In the past, like so many others, I tended to think that "ministry" and the "call of God" were limited to the "five-fold ministry" of apostles, evangelists, missionaries, teachers, and pastors. In other words, people who sacrificed their every waking moment for little pay and less appreciation in hopes that they might be rewarded for their misery after this life. I say that jokingly, but I believe that there is a level of prosperity that the body of Christ has not yet experienced. I'm not talking about any flashy faith doctrine. I'm talking about "life more abundantly" and the health that a united body fosters. XAG seeks to find ways that laypeople can use everyday skills to benefit the Kingdom. New ways, better ways.

Secular products and services can support works of ministry

In Acts 18, Prascilla and Aquilla made and sold tents to support the Paul's missionary work wherever they went. The missionary community has used the term "tentmakers" to refer to people who go to a foreign country with skills and training that help support their work. I believe that the "tentmaker" principle extends much deeper than this. I believe that business models that were formerly considered to be strictly for-profit ventures should be used to grow and unite the Kingdom of God.

The Internet is not inherently evil

Satan has used the Internet in so many evil ways, it's easy to lose count. Pornography, racism, and violence top the list of blemishes on what would otherwise be seen as a positive thing. Many in the Church underestimate the potential of the Internet as a tool.

More is accomplished through unity

Ecclesiastes gave birth to the secular cliché of "two is better than one." Many, many times the Bible states the effect of increasing the number of people working together toward a common goal. XAG attempts to unite people under the banner of work for the Kingdom in hopes of accomplishing more lasting results than isolated individuals duplicating effort. I have coined the term "techumenical movement" to refer to the laying aside of some controversial debates with the goal of creating useful and beneficial things for the body of Christ that are independent of doctrinal squabbles.