http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/practice-resurrection-part-two ...dispatches from the post-evangelical wilderness Sun, 12 Feb 2012 07:36:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/practice-resurrection-part-two/comment-page-1#comment-525171 Faith-Based Blog » Blog Archive » Travelling a Little Bit Heavier Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:56:01 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=5655#comment-525171 [...] The Internet Monk has two parts of a review up of Peterson’s “Practice Ressurection” by guest-blogger, Chaplain [...] [...] The Internet Monk has two parts of a review up of Peterson’s “Practice Ressurection” by guest-blogger, Chaplain [...]

]]> http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/practice-resurrection-part-two/comment-page-1#comment-524738 RonP Wed, 10 Feb 2010 08:33:25 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=5655#comment-524738 Thanks for this post, Mike. You inspired me to re-read Ephesians this evening. I had forgotten what a wonderful letter it is and what a precious and vital gift it is to the church of all ages -- in large part because it reveals those essential elements and means by which the members of Christ's body can grow together toward maturity in Jesus. At the end of chapter one, Paul points out that Jesus has been appointed "to be head over everything for the church." He doesn't say that Christ has been set up as a historical figurehead in whose name we do a bunch of religious stuff -- nor does he say that Christ acts as head over only the big stuff, while leaving all the minor details to us. Rather, Paul speaks as if Jesus's headship is a real, literal thing that occurs in real time and is knowable and recognizable as coming from Him through the conduit of the Holy Spirit. I often wonder how much of what we do and are as churches still flows from His direct, literal, present-tense leadership when compared to other competing elements, such as traditions, doctrinal constructs, exalted offices, and charismatic personalities. In chapter four, Paul makes it clear that the role of leaders and teachers in the church is to train its members for the work of service with the ultimate goals of establishing unity in faith and maturity in Christ. Is this still the primary focus and function of leadership in modern Western churchianity? And, if not, how have changes in focus and function influenced the overall level of maturity within the church? One other thing that caught my attention is how Paul takes care to explain how theological truths about the church find their truest expression in the day-to-day lives and relationships of believers. Just from the way Paul lays it out, It seems pretty clear to me that genuine maturity in Christ cannot exist merely on the levels of theology or ecclesiology -- but rather it is inseperably tied to the evidence of Christ and His love in the quality and depth of our relationships with each other. In my opinion, the relational aspect of the church (and how that fits in with God's plan to build us together into a suitable dwelling place for Himself) has been moved too far toward the back of the bus in comparison to organizational concerns and building projects of a more physical nature. Like Peterson, I don't see Ephesians as Paul's presentation of the ideal church situation so much as a hopeful and practical guide for any church body that aspires to be a more genuine and mature representation of Christ and to be more completely submissive and obedient to His literal headship. The key, I think, is to keep our primary focus where Paul and the other NT writers placed theirs -- and be careful not to get distracted or obsessed with less essential matters. Thanks for this post, Mike. You inspired me to re-read Ephesians this evening. I had forgotten what a wonderful letter it is and what a precious and vital gift it is to the church of all ages — in large part because it reveals those essential elements and means by which the members of Christ’s body can grow together toward maturity in Jesus.
At the end of chapter one, Paul points out that Jesus has been appointed “to be head over everything for the church.” He doesn’t say that Christ has been set up as a historical figurehead in whose name we do a bunch of religious stuff — nor does he say that Christ acts as head over only the big stuff, while leaving all the minor details to us. Rather, Paul speaks as if Jesus’s headship is a real, literal thing that occurs in real time and is knowable and recognizable as coming from Him through the conduit of the Holy Spirit. I often wonder how much of what we do and are as churches still flows from His direct, literal, present-tense leadership when compared to other competing elements, such as traditions, doctrinal constructs, exalted offices, and charismatic personalities.
In chapter four, Paul makes it clear that the role of leaders and teachers in the church is to train its members for the work of service with the ultimate goals of establishing unity in faith and maturity in Christ. Is this still the primary focus and function of leadership in modern Western churchianity? And, if not, how have changes in focus and function influenced the overall level of maturity within the church?
One other thing that caught my attention is how Paul takes care to explain how theological truths about the church find their truest expression in the day-to-day lives and relationships of believers. Just from the way Paul lays it out, It seems pretty clear to me that genuine maturity in Christ cannot exist merely on the levels of theology or ecclesiology — but rather it is inseperably tied to the evidence of Christ and His love in the quality and depth of our relationships with each other. In my opinion, the relational aspect of the church (and how that fits in with God’s plan to build us together into a suitable dwelling place for Himself) has been moved too far toward the back of the bus in comparison to organizational concerns and building projects of a more physical nature.
Like Peterson, I don’t see Ephesians as Paul’s presentation of the ideal church situation so much as a hopeful and practical guide for any church body that aspires to be a more genuine and mature representation of Christ and to be more completely submissive and obedient to His literal headship. The key, I think, is to keep our primary focus where Paul and the other NT writers placed theirs — and be careful not to get distracted or obsessed with less essential matters.

]]> http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/practice-resurrection-part-two/comment-page-1#comment-524731 mick Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:56:38 +0000 http://www.internetmonk.com/?p=5655#comment-524731 Perhaps, Paul does paint his best picture of what the "ideal" church would look like even tho, in reality, it played out when flawed, sinful people just as today. But it is a better place to aim, to pray and practice than much of what we focus on these days - good or bad. Perhaps, Paul does paint his best picture of what the “ideal” church would look like even tho, in reality, it played out when flawed, sinful people just as today. But it is a better place to aim, to pray and practice than much of what we focus on these days – good or bad.

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