The Reformed Church in the Reformed Tradition

July 24, 2008 · faith · Comments Off

Because we are in a world now that is not nearly so hierarchical as other generations were, it is possible for your congregation to network laterally with other congregations that are equally faithful. And that is exactly what’s happening in the New Wineskins network of churches, the Confessing Church Network, there are such networks available, and that are very active.

Rev. Parker T. Williamson

(Whitehorse Inn podcast entitled “Broken Covenant”. Originally aired on 30 Mar 08)

I guess we need to be careful to use stereotypes. I suspect (but readily acknowledge that I don’t know) Rev. Williamson is uncomfortable with (if not downright antagonistic towards) the MEECM. What struck me with his comments was that how much it sounded just like many in the MEECM.

This tells me that the “established” church isn’t as clueless as many in the MEECM seem to think.

Beware of Following the Trend

June 28, 2008 · faith, society · Comments Off

There are far too many churches that are trying to follow the trends in an attempt to “grow” their congregations. The first problem is that they are focusing on quantity not quality. The second problem is that the churches are always a few years behind. A huge number of churches are trying to be “relevant”, which really is (to me) being like everything else, thus the differentiation between the church and the culture is erased (salt with your light, anyone?).

The rage against the liturgy (okay, that is hyperbole) that seems to be much of this is dead, even in the “evangelical” church. Rick Phillips, in his blog post Random Thoughts on Gender, Based on a Small Sample Size, is only a small wave in a bigger change. The Roman Catholic church is growing, as is the Eastern Orthodox church, especially among the very section that being “relevant” is targeted at. Of course, too many churches have bought into this, so they feel that they cannot go back. Look, we don’t proclaim to have worship infallibility, so let’s act like we don’t.

My favorite line in Mr. Phillips post was, “This [classic, historically-rooted (i.e. traditional) worship], too, is now counter-culturally Christian.”

Teaching the Faith

March 23, 2008 · education, faith · Comments Off

That led her to join a nine-month process known in the Catholic Church as RCIA, or Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.

Churches open doors to more converts

In the Nazarene Church, we go through a membership class which lasts a few weeks. In the Lutheran Church, the same. However, these classes do not truly teach the faith. Of course, a nine month course like the Roman Catholic Church might scare more than a few people off, which might not be a bad thing. I once heard that the early Christian church, there was a three year “apprenticeship” for new converts before they became baptized. That’s a whole lot different than today, which may explain why so much of the populace call themselves Christian, but have no true understanding of the faith.

Oddly enough, it might also might explain why churches, as a whole, are losing members, not a conflict with the world (although, that doesn’t help), but if the church cares so little about teaching people deeply about the faith, encouraging them to invest in their faith (note: I am not talking about a church building or congregation), perhaps they might not be so quick to leave it.

In the Lutheran church, I heard nightmare stories about confirmation. While they sounded horrible, I suspect that they were inflicted upon the children not as punishment, but for the very reason I mentioned. They became invested in the faith.

Now, that does not mean that through trials, tribulations, doubts, depression, or questions, that a person will not leave the faith. There is nothing that can guarantee it. The end goal is to have a Christian who has more than a cursory understanding of their faith, so that they can truly live it.

Missional Church Analysis

March 5, 2008 · faith · Comments Off

In his article, What Makes a Church Missional?, J. Todd Billings does a decent (although, by necessity, not very in depth) analysis of the concept of the “Missional Church.”

It is fairly balanced, I think. The biggest thing is not that the concept of Missional Church (as currently described is a few decades old) is new, but that it is not.

Thus, we should not be surprised that God’s new work in mission is also an old work. For we are not shaped primarily by the spirit of the 1950s, the 1990s, or 2008, but by the eternal Spirit, who has been shaping and sending witnesses to the gospel for thousands of years.

What? Me, Unplug?

March 4, 2008 · Technological Enervation, business, faith, life hack, love, society, technology · Comments Off

A great blog post by brought these three articles to my attention:

  1. Less Television and Computer Gaming May Keep Children Slimmer. Granted, this is kind of a “duh,” however, the reason may not be what you think.
  2. An Email Free Day
  3. I Need a Virtual Break, No, Really.

What I find interesting in the last article is the term “secular sabbath”. Despite being, from my point of view, a contradiction in terms, the concept is valid. In fact, I am pondering avoiding my computer all Sunday. I might even avoid television and gaming (okay, granted I don’t do much gaming).

This somewhat flies in the face of popular “wisdom” that the up-and-coming generation is “wired” for multi-tasking. Just something else to ponder.

hattip to:The Point

Pray, Tell! What Does The Future Hold?

December 3, 2007 · faith, love, society · Comments Off

There have been articles, commentaries, blogs (of which I’m adding to, of course), podcasts, and what have you, about the imminent demise of the church.

Sorry, but it has been all said before.

Come to the Lord empty.

August 18, 2007 · Technological Enervation, faith · 2 comments

There is a great piece written by John Koesler, Eat, Drink, and Be Hungryarchived copy, on ChristianityToday.com. Sometimes I wonder if the Beatitudes really say what we think they mean, regardless of that underlying current of though in my own mind, I think this is a wonderful way of looking at the Beatitudes, life in general, and, to me, at the Eucharist.

One thing that did strike me, is this is going back to the holes we try to fill in our lives with things other than God. This of course brings me to my pet topic (“meme”) of Technological Enervation. Perhaps Technological Enervation is just another way of pointing to the same issue.

Wherefore art thou male?

August 7, 2007 · faith, society · 1 comment

In The Mistakes We Make with Priestly Vocations, Fr. Philip N. Powell discusses something new in the Roman Catholic church, women serving in the place of pastors, not as pastors, but “Parish Life Coordinators.” Fr. Powell makes some wonderful points that are well worth considering.

The primary scripture used to bar women from leadership positions in the church is in 1 Tim 2:11-15. When one looks through the scriptures, one does find women in leadership. I will say, however, as did some women on the ordination trail in the Church of the Nazarene (whom I had the pleasure to converse and learn with recently), that is NOT ideal (yes, even these women said, actually more forcefully than the men). The ideal is Godly men should be the leaders of the church, as they are supposed to be in families.

However, the issue is that men are drawn to other things, and increasingly so. Fr. Powell is most likely correct that the PLC system will exacerbate the issue. He is also correct that it is only by prayer will all the empty roles be filled.

Yes! Wait a minute, NO!

July 9, 2007 · faith · Comments Off

It’s a good way to have a timeout and provide an opportunity for Ann to continue to teach …

Redding said she didn’t feel a need to reconcile all the differences between the two faiths but felt that at the most basic level, they are compatible.

She believes she has not violated any of her baptismal or ordination vows. And “since entering Islam,” she said, “I have been, by my own estimation, a better teacher, a better preacher and a better Christian.”

Hat Tip: RightMind.us: Episcopal priest or Muslim?
original article:Episcopal priest or Muslim? Redding will have a year to think about it

Ann Redding still doesn’t get it, and apparently neither does her bishop (not the RI one), Vincent Warner.

Quote 1: Teach? Teach where? Teach what? She had better not be teaching any seminarians or anyone else in a Christian church (for the sake of argument, I maintain that the Episcopal Church is Christian, although there is far too much room for doubt)!

Quote 2: No need to reconcile? Jesus says: “I am the way , the truth, and the life. No one gets to the Father but through me.” John 14:6 The Koran (The Holy Qur’an) states that Jesus was only a prophet, but that Muhammad was the greatest and last prophet (please correct me if I’m wrong). Seems irreconcilable to me.

Quote 3: Better Christian? Hmmm, let’s see, the Apostle’s Creed, The Nicene Creed, um, oh, yeah, THE BIBLE.

I am amazed that someone in the Episcopal Church put a stop to this, for the moment. But I hold no hope that it will last.

Drivers of the Episcopal Church, start your engines! Go, straight down the apostate freeway!

God’s Love In Human Arms

July 9, 2007 · faith, love, society · Comments Off

Daily Meditation (Henri Nouwen): A Father’s As Well As a Mother’s Love

The father in the story of the prodigal son is mother as well. His running out to welcome his son, his embrace and kisses; his offering of the best robe, the ring, and the sandals; and his throwing a party are not the typical behavior of a distant patriarch. They express so much tenderness, nurturing care, and self-effacing forgiveness that in them we see both motherly and fatherly love fully present.

The perfect love of our heavenly Father includes as well as transcends all the love that a father and mother can have for their children. We may think about the two hands of God embracing us as a mother’s hand and a father’s hand: one caressing, consoling, and comforting, the other supporting, encouraging, and empowering. We too are called to be father and mother to those who want to come home.

from Bread for the Journey, 5 July 2007

One of the problems with the Christian faith is the language of God the Father. Now, don’t misunderstand, the Bible says that, and so do I. However, the cultural baggage that goes with that can often provide an unconscious expectation of relationship with God. Henri Nouwen’s calling God’s arms separately in terms of human parental relations (still doesn’t cover God’s feelings for us adequately) helps balance that out somewhat.

I will not acquiesce to the current tendency in some circles to call God a her, or some other gender-neutral term, but I will acknowledge that failing to adequately address the (again, from a human perspective) “motherly” love of God for us, can turn many away.

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