Tim: January 2007

The Emeriging Church - Interesting Article

A friend of mine passed on an article to me on the Emerging Church. It's by Scott McKnight, who is a part of the Emerging Church and is also a professor at North Park Seminary (not on my top 100 list). I think it does give a very good overview of what the Emerging Church is, and even points out some flaws (which is hard for any of us to do about ourselves). I am sure much could be said in response the article, but if you want a good overview of what the Emerging Church is about, this is as good an article as I've seen. I'm going to include some lines from it, and then you can read more of it yourself if you want to - and you should read about it unless you are already very familiar with it. It's something you are going to hear more and more about in the coming years. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/february/11.35.html

"It is said that emerging Christians confess their faith like mainliners—meaning they say things publicly they don't really believe. They drink like Southern Baptists—meaning, to adapt some words from Mark Twain, they are teetotalers when it is judicious. They talk like Catholics—meaning they cuss and use naughty words. They evangelize and theologize like the Reformed—meaning they rarely evangelize, yet theologize all the time. They worship like charismatics—meaning with their whole bodies, some parts tattooed. They vote like Episcopalians—meaning they eat, drink, and sleep on their left side. And, they deny the truth—meaning they've got a latte-soaked copy of Derrida in their smoke- and beer-stained backpacks."

Gibbs & Bolger define it as - Emerging churches are communities that practice the way of Jesus within postmodern cultures. This definition encompasses nine practices. Emerging churches (1) identify with the life of Jesus, (2) transform the secular realm, and (3) live highly communal lives. Because of these three activities, they (4) welcome the stranger, (5) serve with generosity, (6) participate as producers, (7) create as created beings, (8) lead as a body, and (9) take part in spiritual activities.

Some emerging Christians see churches with pulpits in the center of a hall-like room with hard, wooden pews lined up in neat rows, and they wonder if there is another way to express—theologically, aesthetically, and anthropologically—what we do when we gather. They ask these sorts of questions: Is the sermon the most important thing on Sunday morning? If we sat in a circle would we foster a different theology and praxis? If we lit incense, would we practice our prayers differently? If we put the preacher on the same level as the congregation, would we create a clearer sense of the priesthood of all believers? If we acted out what we believe, would we encounter more emphatically the Incarnation?

This article is worth reading, really. They are asking some great questions. I don't think you have to denounce truth to find the answers to the questions. Much more could be said.

Pastor Umar - Steve Deace - WHO Radio - 1040 AM

It was a privilege to have Pastor Umar with us. He spoke on AM 1040 (WHO Radio) on the Steve Deace program and was well received by the audience - so they played it again. They have the audio online - click here to go the page - and it's called - "Interview With Umar". He shares his testimony - quickly.

If you haven't heard his testimony, you will be extremely blessed to hear it. It is more than worth your time!

Grace - from a Puritan

My very favorite devotional aid (other than the Bible - but it's not an aid) is a collection of Puritan prayers/poems by Arthur Bennett. It's absolutely amazing. I came across some powerful lines today.

"Give me grace to know more of my need of grace."

"Help me to confess... with no pretense to merit or excuse."

Maybe that doesn't trip your trigger. It does mine. In fact, I'd go so far as to say it milks my cow. That's how I roll.

The Valley of Vision is put out by Banner of Truth Trust - and I've heard a few great men of God recommend it in the last few years. A couple things about the book that I really like. Each poem/prayer takes only one page. Most of the poems were written without ever knowing anyone else would read them. It's really fantastic!

I like the book so much I would consider buying someone a copy if they would like one. The only possible downside to the book is the older English - but it also adds beauty, weight, and precision to the prayers.

Sin - thoughts on it

If you want to read about sin - or know you need to - check out Matt's blog - he is reading a book by John Owens - and there is some brutal stuff on sin. The title is - The John Owen Bandwagon Rider.

FYI - Matt Rocks!!!

Impacting my life - Missions

Impact touched my life this year in a special way. Maybe I'm wishy washy. I'll let you decide.

When I went to college I purposely avoided Missions as a major because I didn't want to go into missions because of me. I believe God is bringing me there anyway.

I made a commitment at this IMAPACT conference to more purposefully pursue missions. I don't have all the answers as to what that means. One part of it is to pray that God will specifically move my wife in that direction (she took a big step in the direction a couple years ago on my birthday). I can't say with full certainty that I'll be overseas soon, but it is the end I'm praying towards.

IMPACT CONFERENCE

We just returned from a fantastic conference - IMPACT - our annual high school conference in Des Moines. It was a great weekend for our group. We had a much larger group than normal which changed some of the feel of the weekend.

Pastor Umar shared his testimony the first night - which was amazing. He was born in Nigeria and raised as a Muslim. On the day he went to kill Christians, God saved Him. His story, both before and after salvation, reads much like the Apostle Paul's in the book of Acts. If you want to hear an abbreviated version of his testimony, you should check out WHO Radio and soon they will have it in their archives. He was on the Steve Deace program yesterday (so check under January 9th, 2007). It's amazing.

Our main speaker, Brad Buser, managed to be a bit offensive - but that was good. He was a missionary for many years in a remote part of Papau New Guinea. I'm going to share some quotes from what he said. Here they are.

If you choose to become a Christian and follow Jesus, it costs EVERYTHING – He wants ALL of you

Christ is not an add-on – he gets it all

Luke 9:23-27
“Deny self” – say no to what I’m all about
“Take up your cross” – people that carried a cross had no future plans – they were dead to their desires, dreams, etc…

Jesus had only one set of requirements – not two; He didn’t say – if you want to be my disciple, do this, but if you just want to make sure you go to heaven, all you have to do is ….. He said – Go into the world and make DISCIPLES

God doesn’t want to be first on our list – He IS the list

He realized he was chasing mirages

What are you doing with what you know? Don’t come and learn more about Jesus until you are using what you already know.

1 Cor 6:19-20
Your body is a temple – you have been bought with a price – you have no right to live out your dreams – but you must live out HIS dream – anything else is sin

People wonder where they are gifted and what makes them happy. No one is gifted in burying their kids in a 3^rd world country. No one is gifted in having malaria or polio.

Soon enough you’ll be in an old folks home – and you’ll have so many regrets, because you didn’t live for Jesus

The Great Commandment - in each of the Gospels and Acts
“Nations” – not speaking of countries, but of people groups – ethnic groups
Jesus did not say – “Therefore, be willing to go” – he said – “Go!”

We can’t give God lines in the sand
God doesn’t need any more nice, well-rounded Christians

We don’t go because they are more important
We don’t go because of us
We go because we have been commanded

John 20:19
God led by example – He sent His son – “As I was sent, so I send you.”
We have no right to put down roots on this earth
The price tag is very high

If Jesus came back into this room today and preached a sermon, it would be the same on he preached at the end – Go into all the world…

Romans 15:19
Location matters – Is it fair that we have the Gospel everywhere (TV, bookstores, many translations, internet), and others have never heard it once? (he asked different age groups this question, and the older the group, the less willing they were to answer the question)

2 Timothy 2:3-4
We are not to get involved in the affairs of this world – rather – we are to please Christ
To follow Christ means to walk away from all the world has to offer – from all my dreams