I'm doing a bit of reading on heresies at the moment. Got a bit confused with the so called New Perspective on Paul.
Is anyone able to give a nice short punchy statement that essentially describes the new perspective on Paul?
Thursday, December 4, 2008
How to evade the jade...?
I was feeling a bit jaded for various reasons this morning, until I hung out with a brother and shared some stuff and we listened to each other and talked about some ministry opportunities and some minstry disasters(?) and prayed together. It was 'tonic' for me (whatever it was for him) and I recommend it to you all. Anyone got any other insights on dealing with the jade... apart from the good old holiday... which is just a few weeks away also!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Sola scriptura vs historical cultural background
In preparing for a major preaching series in 1 Corinthians next year I'm immensely enjoying the book 'After Paul left Corinth - the influence of secular ethics and social change' by Bruce Winter.
In brief, Bruce is a (rigorous!) historian who has dredged all sorts of sources - both secular and biblical - for clues as to the cultural background of 1st century Corinth. All this to illuminate the issues Paul addresses in first Corinthians. And illuminating it certainly is!
As I'm reading, (and enjoying, and learning) I'm also grappling with the tension between the perspicuity and sufficiency of scripture on one hand, and the helpful illumination of non-biblical material on the other. Has anyone got any thoughts on managing this tension?
In brief, Bruce is a (rigorous!) historian who has dredged all sorts of sources - both secular and biblical - for clues as to the cultural background of 1st century Corinth. All this to illuminate the issues Paul addresses in first Corinthians. And illuminating it certainly is!
As I'm reading, (and enjoying, and learning) I'm also grappling with the tension between the perspicuity and sufficiency of scripture on one hand, and the helpful illumination of non-biblical material on the other. Has anyone got any thoughts on managing this tension?
Doubt
In lining up a sermon on Psalm 73 I came across some excellent thoughts from Os Guiness in his old book 'Doubt - faith in two minds'
'Faith is the ass of the modern world... [Like harsh treatment of a donkey] many Christian's drive their faith unfairly when they believe, and then they flog it unmercifully when they doubt. In both cases they have been led to believe that true faith is doubt free and that doubt is the same thing (and just as sinful) as unbelief'
'Doubt is not the opposite of faith, nor is it the same as unbelief. Doubt is a state of mind in suspension between faith and unbelief so that it is neither of them wholly and it is each one only partly'
'Anyone who believes anything will automatically know something about doubt. But the person who knows why they believe is in a position to discover why they doubt. The Christian should be such a person'
'If faith does not resolve doubt then doubt will dissolve faith'
...i guess there'll be plenty more from where those came from.
'Faith is the ass of the modern world... [Like harsh treatment of a donkey] many Christian's drive their faith unfairly when they believe, and then they flog it unmercifully when they doubt. In both cases they have been led to believe that true faith is doubt free and that doubt is the same thing (and just as sinful) as unbelief'
'Doubt is not the opposite of faith, nor is it the same as unbelief. Doubt is a state of mind in suspension between faith and unbelief so that it is neither of them wholly and it is each one only partly'
'Anyone who believes anything will automatically know something about doubt. But the person who knows why they believe is in a position to discover why they doubt. The Christian should be such a person'
'If faith does not resolve doubt then doubt will dissolve faith'
...i guess there'll be plenty more from where those came from.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Integrity at work
How many of us have a method at our fingertips for thinking ethically and making Christ honouring decisions when presented with ethical dilemmas? How many Christian's in secular society have actually mashed their work expectations, outcomes, practices and priorities through the sieve of Christian ethics?
As I've been preaching through a series about 'work' I'm struck by how much help we need to think much more ethically. We settle so easily for the 'sacred / secular divide', locking away our Christian beliefs with the rest of our personal and private preferences. Jesus said to his followers 'You are the salt of the earth...!'
The 'salt' may not be that 'salty'.
Excellent book on this: 'Integrity at Work' by Norman Geisler and Randy Douglass.
It gives an introduction to ethics... a helpful acrostic called 'The ETHICS Compass' and a whole load of practical advice and real examples about ethical decision making that should get you excited again about living for Christ on the FRONTLINE. There is a chapter each on sexual dilemmas, dilemmas for employers, for employees, dilemmas with customers, dilemmas balancing work and home. Very helpful stuff.
As I've been preaching through a series about 'work' I'm struck by how much help we need to think much more ethically. We settle so easily for the 'sacred / secular divide', locking away our Christian beliefs with the rest of our personal and private preferences. Jesus said to his followers 'You are the salt of the earth...!'
The 'salt' may not be that 'salty'.
Excellent book on this: 'Integrity at Work' by Norman Geisler and Randy Douglass.
It gives an introduction to ethics... a helpful acrostic called 'The ETHICS Compass' and a whole load of practical advice and real examples about ethical decision making that should get you excited again about living for Christ on the FRONTLINE. There is a chapter each on sexual dilemmas, dilemmas for employers, for employees, dilemmas with customers, dilemmas balancing work and home. Very helpful stuff.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Episode 2
Tri-perspectival exegesis?
Sounds a bit dangerous! (Don Carson must have dreamt up the label!)
What it means is actually very helpful... as i read earlier this week
'To be a great preacher, one needs to be tri-perspectival in their exegesis. That is, they need to be committed to the exegesis of the Bible, the exegesis of our culture, and the exegesis of the human heart. Some preachers claim that if you exegete the Bible properly, you don’t need to bother yourself with the exegesis of our culture or the human heart. The problem with this view, however, is that the Bible itself exhorts us to apply Biblical norms to both our lives and to our world'
Sounds a bit dangerous! (Don Carson must have dreamt up the label!)
What it means is actually very helpful... as i read earlier this week
'To be a great preacher, one needs to be tri-perspectival in their exegesis. That is, they need to be committed to the exegesis of the Bible, the exegesis of our culture, and the exegesis of the human heart. Some preachers claim that if you exegete the Bible properly, you don’t need to bother yourself with the exegesis of our culture or the human heart. The problem with this view, however, is that the Bible itself exhorts us to apply Biblical norms to both our lives and to our world'
Friday, September 5, 2008
Episode 1
Some interesting church planting stuff from our recent reformed church conference:
A mission flavoured church compared to a mission shaped church...
mission flavoured
...origin in reaction to the established church
...brings in other Christians
...started with public worship services
...attractional and event oriented
...invite existing friends
...meets needs of newcomers and work done by a few
...emphasize excellence
...remodel outsiders to local culture and bring Jesus to the community
...develops look and style based on own idea of what community needs
mission shaped
...had its origin in a call to mission
...brings in unchurched people
...public worship service is last priority (ultimately asked for by people)
...build relationships with local people
...go out and make friends
...operates on enthusiastic participation
...emphasizes participation and serving
...become insiders in local culture to bring Jesus to the local community
...allows those new to faith to influence look and feel of what the community needs
5 points
1. Clarify the call. The basis for mission-shaped church is a call to mission, rather than frustration that your own needs aren't met. As far as possible, deal with your own frustrations and other gripes before you set off to plant.
2. Begin with the end in mind. Right from the start, spend significant time with those you;re trying to reach. Your job is to be good news, not a purveyor of goods and services, religious or otherwise.
3. Keep public services in perspective. In a mission-shaped framework, a public worship service should be the overflow of mission and its fruits, rather than preceding it. It will therefore be shaped by those who've come to faith through mission. The form it takes may or may not follow the style and symbols of the receptor culture.
4. Make time for unchurched people. Public worship services are usually very resource hungry. Beware of committing too much of your people's time and energy to the service at the expense of relational time with the unchurched.
5. Let programs serve relationships. Programs as a concept are value-neutral. They succeed or fail as outreach tools largely on the basis of whather they provide a context for relationships to form and grow. Remember outreach and evangelism aren't the same thing.
a final thought...
Many large, attractive churches successfully reach unchurched people using a come to Jesus model. And some fo them began by launching a public worship service. This is valid and worthwile ministry. Missionshaped church is not a replacement for this model, but an alternative approach that will reach a different sector of society.
(All this from Tim Scheuer and others of the Church Army)
A mission flavoured church compared to a mission shaped church...
mission flavoured
...origin in reaction to the established church
...brings in other Christians
...started with public worship services
...attractional and event oriented
...invite existing friends
...meets needs of newcomers and work done by a few
...emphasize excellence
...remodel outsiders to local culture and bring Jesus to the community
...develops look and style based on own idea of what community needs
mission shaped
...had its origin in a call to mission
...brings in unchurched people
...public worship service is last priority (ultimately asked for by people)
...build relationships with local people
...go out and make friends
...operates on enthusiastic participation
...emphasizes participation and serving
...become insiders in local culture to bring Jesus to the local community
...allows those new to faith to influence look and feel of what the community needs
5 points
1. Clarify the call. The basis for mission-shaped church is a call to mission, rather than frustration that your own needs aren't met. As far as possible, deal with your own frustrations and other gripes before you set off to plant.
2. Begin with the end in mind. Right from the start, spend significant time with those you;re trying to reach. Your job is to be good news, not a purveyor of goods and services, religious or otherwise.
3. Keep public services in perspective. In a mission-shaped framework, a public worship service should be the overflow of mission and its fruits, rather than preceding it. It will therefore be shaped by those who've come to faith through mission. The form it takes may or may not follow the style and symbols of the receptor culture.
4. Make time for unchurched people. Public worship services are usually very resource hungry. Beware of committing too much of your people's time and energy to the service at the expense of relational time with the unchurched.
5. Let programs serve relationships. Programs as a concept are value-neutral. They succeed or fail as outreach tools largely on the basis of whather they provide a context for relationships to form and grow. Remember outreach and evangelism aren't the same thing.
a final thought...
Many large, attractive churches successfully reach unchurched people using a come to Jesus model. And some fo them began by launching a public worship service. This is valid and worthwile ministry. Missionshaped church is not a replacement for this model, but an alternative approach that will reach a different sector of society.
(All this from Tim Scheuer and others of the Church Army)
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
New Blog
This blog is about sharing and exploring and raising issues that I'm facing in ministry. I'd like it to be a bit of a forum and I'd value anyone's comments. For those who want our news as a family please continue to use here comes the g - train . Better still, use both blogs together and get a richer idea of what's going on in our lives.
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