NOTE: A question appeared this evening about two Ky preachers. I made two factual errors in my answer. I have never met or heard the one I said I’d met and heard- completely thinking of someone else- and I said the other was dead, which was incorrect. Very bad error on my part, and my apologies to both and to the questioner. Easy to get mixed up when you’ve been out of circulation for 17+ years.
I’m done. Wow. Over 130 questions. Thanks to all who participated. This was great fun.
NOTE: Remember that you will see the “older comments” link at the bottom of the comments now.
What was the most challenging part of raising kids?
Being an adult parent is pretty challenging right now. Both my kids left the “plan” and married early. That was hard. But really, for me the hard part was that I did a terrible job balancing ministry and parenting when the kids were small. I was totally serving the church and into success at that level and ignored too much of my kid’s lives. The hardest part of being a parent is just dealing with my own failures as a human being. Thank God for his grace.
How has all the steroids scandals changed your view of baseball?
PEDs were not regulated for many years. I don’t consider that to be a major corruption issue. Once they were regulated, then it is extremely disappointing, but understandable. Athletes seek every advantage. It’s simply part of the history of the game now, and fans have to get over it. We don’t have to like it, but its part of baseball and on some level always will be. The difference between using PEDs and having Tommy John surgery is rather small in my view. Both are evolutions of the culture of the game that fans have to accept.
Baseball has a purist mentality, which is charming. Not realistic though. Ty Cobb was a violent criminal. The Babe was an alchy. As were most of the Yankees in the 60s. Gambling was common. PEDs are as well. This is our world. Welcome to it.
If you had a daughter who really wanted and felt “called” to become a minister or priest within her religious tradition, but that tradition did not allow women to become ministers or priests, what would you tell her?
1) God isn’t calling you to go against the stated confession of your denomination.
2) Find a tradition that allows women to be ordained and seek ordination there.
3) Don’t create a situation in your head and make it into a real world idol. The confessions of various churches should be respected.
Hi Michael,
Picture someone in a situation where they’ve been part of a particular church for a few years, very involved and committed, but have come to the point where the lack of grace, constant conflict, etc. have become a continuing source of strife, to the point of impacting their physical and emotional health and that of their loved ones. They deeply believe in the importance of local church, but also know that there is no other suitable church in the area – all the others are even more beset with worse problems. Right now the only thing keeping them part of their church is the fact that there’s nowhere else to go, so leaving would be like stepping into the wilderness.
What advice would you give to this person?
(By the way, this person isn’t me, though it more or less fits various people I know. I also realise that it’s hard to give a specific, valid answer without much more specific information. Just interested to know your overall stance on this kind of situation.)
Rob
Buy my book. 1/1/11.
Our discipleship is for the Kingdom. It does NOT take place in the church. The church is a resource and an encouragement. Parts of the Christian life take place in a community but there is no reason not to have a larger geographic sense of church, attend more than one, assist in planting one, start one, participate in a non-traditional one. I’d say this is your opportunity to stop acting like the sheep analogies in scripture mean that we’re just supposed to find a pasture and eat all the time. We are supposed to be cross cultural church planters and gosle communicators. Get into the wider Christian world. Meet more Christians. Have several spiritual bases. Don’t think like a consumer.
Michael,
Thanks. That’s kind of how I think too. But I’m speaking into a culture where that kind of paradigm of church is so far off-map that people either just don’t get it, or if they do get it, it’s just way too scary. And yes, that includes the people who have come to the edge of the map and discovered that the old map isn’t much to use to them any more anyway! Fear is a terrible thing.
As regards your book, what?! You mean we’re going to have to wait until 2011?! Does the publishing cycle really take that long? I would have pre-ordered it already if it was available for pre-order. I assume it will be available here in Europe too?
Sorry to reply again in succession, but I’ve been re-reading your reply and the first two sentences keep jumping out at me. “Our discipleship is for the Kingdom. It does NOT take place in the church.” Why is it, then, that so many churches see one of their primary roles as being discipling? Or do you mean that discipling does not take place in the _institutional_ church?
Buy my book. 1/1/11.
That’s exactly right. Church shaped spirituality doesn’t exist. Churches encourage and develop disciples, who are Kingdom pursuing, Jesus shaped missionaries.
What is your opinion of 1) Frank Viola and 2) his idea of “Organic Church”?
1. Don’t know Frank personally. Been very gracious to me. I consider him brother in Christ. I like Jesus Manifesto a lot. I love from Eternity to Here.
2. I probably differ with Frank along the lines of Ben Witherington’s critique, but I much less a defender of the traditional church than BW. I think Frank’s model gets a lot of things right that are in the NT. I would disagree with him most regarding issues regarding leadership.
3. I think organic church is an important way to see the Kingdom-church connection and I commend Frank for making Jesus’ movement what it really is- a movement, and not a club or a franchise.
4. While I think his historical scholarship is sometimes flawed, I think much (not all) of his material in Pagan Christianity is on the money and is very helpful in getting over the idea that our current model of church is what Jesus had in mind.
A good brother from my experience. Don’t know him personally.
If a church elders adopt the complementarian view as the “correct Biblical view” (Biblical Manhood/Womanhood), is that legalism?
No. It’s a valid reading of scripture. I personally think it has a flawed reading of Genesis 1-2 and the Gospel’s critique of culture, but not legalism. There are legalistic applications of complementarianism and egalitarianism.
Thanks I think your right. Reading the bible through the lens of Christ is the only way. When I fail to do this I find a God I can fear but not love.
God Bless
Steve in Toronto
How would you describe the state and effectiveness of Christian radio in the United States?
Collapsing. Internet will kill off large portions of it. In ten years, half of them will be dead. Advertisers see the power of the net to get the niche market much more powerfully. Major ministries that were on the radio are already smelling the coffee. If I worked in radio, I’d prepare a resume.
Do your students ever listen to Chrisitan broadcasts? If so, what do the listen to?
Someone may listen to KLove, but my students have little to no interest in CCM. They know some P & W, but mostly from church/camps, etc.
What is your interpretation of Romans 7? Do you see it as a text describing the Christian life or the “before conversion” life? If the former, then what does that say about regeneration and sanctification?
It’s my life. It’s the life of an imperfect, fallen, broken man of faith living in a sinful world and sin addicted psyche/body.
It also a man in whom the power of the Spirit has begun his promised work of making us like Jesus Christ. That work continues until glory.
Great answer Imonk. Romans 6-8 only make sense, to me, if you see the description Paul gives of himself as an accurate description of the human condition we all live in.
tim
trying for a 140 character question to lead to the question. Thought I was hearing GOD guide me into ministry. Every path in ministry I took felt like me being drug through the mud. I’ve got a semi full of church baggage. got married, trusting GOD’s voice that it was the path for me. Been very difficult.
Question: I don’t know how to trust GOD’s voice anymore, do you have any suggestions for me?
I don’t know what trusting God’s voice means without…
-Godly counsel
-Acceptance that things don’t go well, work out or get “blessed” because I followed God’s voice. Jeremiah followed God’s voice into a well.
The apostles followed God’s son to death.
-Less confidence that I need to depend on experience and more freedom to be the person I believe God has created me to be.
Brother, a million people went into “ministry” thinking it’s what God wanted. I can’t say in anyone’s case, but it’s obvious that a lot of people go into ministry wanting something like success and blessing and a great life now. It’s not happening. Jesus never said to expect anything except his version of success and persecutions…..and eternal life.
I don’t know you so I can’t comment on your situation. Sorry.
Have you ever read “Under the Unpredictable Plant”? It’s by Euegene Peterson and may be helpful in your situation.
iMonk- thanks for the words. I think that part of my struggle is that I have always felt like I had Godly counsel and wasn’t looking for butterflies and roses but I have never felt at peace or rest in the situations I feel like GOD is calling me into. Perhaps I am placing expectations on GOD that were never meant to be there.
Mick- I have read “Under the Unpredictable Plant.” Peterson is one of the few Christian voices that I am able to hear these days. (and of course iMonk, too)
Lately, you’ve mentioned Luther’s impact on your understanding of how we are called to live out our sanctification. Could you help clarify how Luther sees living with our sinfulness and our sanctification as different from the Calvin camp or the Wesley camp?
Well, the guy who said “sin boldly” isn’t Wesley, that’s for sure.
Wesley believed in the possibility of perfect love. Luther would never use the word “perfect” about anything in Christian anthropology or experience.
Calvin’s view of sanctification is about visible evidence that you are elect. “Make your election sure,” i.e. drive yourself to despair, imo.
Luther says sinful people are given a perfect salvation by faith as a gift. Sanctification is totally rooted in the Gospel.
I think Luther is weak on discipleship. My views on discipleship are in a 4 page article in the upcoming Modern Reformation magazine. Wesley’s type of discipleship processes, with Luther’s theology in the Gospel. That’s a good balance.
Larry Norman, Randy Stonehill, Chuck Smith, the Jesus People … Memories? Nostalgia? Critique (positives and negatives)?
I’m a huge fan of Larry Norman. Stacks of his stuff around here. Randy Stonehill as well, from first album to the current one with Keaggy. Two geniuses. I have a major IM piece on Norman. I’m disappointed in his moral failures, but we are all sinners. Jesus people- no real impact on me aside from some pop culture invasion of the SBC when I was a teen. I wouldn’t be a Christian if my church hadn’t let me play bass guitar for a a happenin’ youth choir. Chuck Smith- dispensationalism. Not interested.
I wish we’d all been ready …
I’m still trying to collect Uncle Randy’s works, but they’re hard to get a hold of. “Return to Paradise” was the first completely honest thing I ever heard in the Christian tradition at the age of 16. It’s no exaggeration to say it changed my life.
Any thoughts on the relevancy of the 5-fold ministry and what are your thoughts on the use of spiritual gifts both in and out of the church settings?
5 fold ministry wasn’t emphasized in our tradition. I think most teaching I’ve heard on it was leadership trying to justify itself. Not Jesus-shaped.
God gifts leaders for the church’s mission to produce Kingdom pursuing, Jesus shaped disciples who plant cross cultural churches. That’s what leadership does, no matter the name. Too much emphasis on that text hasn’t produced much good and a lot of abuse.
Do ever get the feeling that sometimes Christianity may be nothing more than some hoax and that all those years you believed and served it could have been spent doing better things?
All the time. That’s normal about any of life’s commitments. Marriage. Vocation. Etc. faith commitments aren’t free from wavering. It’s these idiot Christians who tell people that it’s a sin to feel like a normal human being who ought to be smacked.
I believe. Help my unbelief. Best prayer in the Bible.
An increasing number of Christians are being raised in denominationally diverse contexts, with friends, family, teachers, etc. from many different Christian traditions. This has shaped many people’s faith as a result (for better and for worse).
While there is clear challenges to this (such as shallow appropriate of tradition out of trend or affinity), do you see value in Christians having such broad exposure? What are the ups and downs of it?
Buy my book 1/1/11
I think that church is more geographic than congregational. That’s my basic deal, and with technology, maybe that even changes to tribes, networks, i dunno. Your “place” not your congregation is your mission center. And from there, the mission is always cross cultural. If diverse backgrounds help us see the Kingdom and church in the right relationship and approach discipleship with the full tool box of all traditions, good. Are denominations and their control more efficient in some ways? Yes. More coherent doctrinally? Yes, unfortunately. And you can see where that gets us missionally. I’m all for a diverse, geographically defined church exp with several different manifestations of “congregation” or community.
Sorry, that should read: “such as shallow appropriation of tradition…”
“They deeply believe in the importance of local church, but also know that there is no other suitable church in the area…” Quoted from Rob Grayson’s question. What do you do when you can’t find any suitable church. I know my husband and I are not called to start our own church (not unless the world wants Waco part II). Going to lunch with a YFC friend tomorrow who has similar issues. Maybe I can trick him into starting his own church. Idle hands are most definitely the Devil’s workshop.
This is the #1 question I get at IM. And of course I can’t answer it.
But you can buy my book 1/1/11
Vast numbers of Christians are in that situation. You do one of 4 things:
1. Lower your standards and deal with what you have
2. Create a diverse fellowship from more than one church
3. Assist someone in starting one (or start one yourself if qualified)
4. Go to a simple church of the poor and add yourself to building up an imperfect body of Christ.
5. Find a non-traditional fellowship/community.
Or drive a long way so you can keep acting like a consumer. Churches exist to produce disciples, not for us to feel guilty that we don’t attend one. Make the church better and deal with what’s there. Or be part of extending and planting a new one. Or explore the non-traditional side.
God guide you. You are far from alone.
Michael,
Just interested – you said “Assist someone in starting one (or start one yourself if qualified)”. What’s your short definition of being “qualified” to start a church/fellowship?
Endorsed by a valid council of elders at a church that will partner and sponsor.
Good answer.
Is it wrong for a Christian to laugh at this video?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkhQLt1vbWU
No, you should laugh at a guy so ignorant of Christians he thinks we’re all Young earthers. Hello. Like 2% there smart ass. Read the Catholic catechism before your next big movie.
What are your thoughts on a speaking elder also working in another occupational field? For instance, if a leading elder who also is the speaking elder (traditionally meaning the head shepherd of the church) also has a job that he works at like 30 hours a week because he needs to support his family. Should this be a big concern, even if the setting is a poor church plant? The reason I ask is I personally think it COULD be a problem due to the lack of time to study for teaching the Word and leading God’s church, and the dude would have to be a work horse to balance both. However, I also think that in this day and age in America we have this illusion that being a speaking elder/pastor means that is your “job”, which I think distorts the truth. We think of pastors today much the same way that people thought of monks back in the 15th century (hence Luther’s book, On Vocation), and I think this hurts our churches because some people who have been gifted in preaching/teaching are not answering the call because of this poor understanding of what ‘occupation’ means. Thoughts?
WIthout large numbers of bivocational pastors, there church won’t be planted anywhere. If we insist on all pastors being full time employees of the congregation, the mission is over. Full time ministers are an aberration. I wish I had never heard of it.
Amen, brother.
Amen!
Why do you believe that the bible is true?
Because I believe in the resurrection of Jesus and Jesus endorsed the OT and the Apostles.
Are there any particular things you would like us, your audience, to be praying for in your ministry/work/life?
My son and daughter in law need to find a church community in Lex. They have one, but work schedules are not allowing participation. this is crucial.
Pray for my marriage. It’s tough being in a divided situation, but God has been good.
My employer could dismiss me at any moment. It’s a very fragile situation. Needs much prayer.
I have great opportunities in ministry every day, esp with internationals.
The finances of our ministry are a serious concern right now.
I need a preacher and worship leader for meetings in Sept. Don’t have either and no money to pay travel.
I’ve recently been reading NT Wright and was very impressed with Surprised by Hope. I need to do a bit more reading to really understand the New Perspective on Paul. What are your thoughts on NPP?
Thanks!
Brent
I don’t consider the NPP to be anything close to a single perspective. Overall, I am very interested in recent scholarly developments in understanding the first century Jewish world. I tend to trust Wright et al more than Piper and Dunca in the scholarly arena. But I am concerned that there is some loss of gospel clarity at crucial points, and especially that a kind of creeping Catholicism gets into the mix. So I’m less interested in some of the Gospel applications by those scholars.
What is your favorite book?
Shakespeare
What cover art will you use on your up-coming book?
Hasn’t been discussed. The marketing guys make that decision I think. I may have some minor input.
I continue to note writers receiving/seeking God’s “will” for some aspect of their lives: who to marry, what school to attend, what job to take, etc.
I wonder if you are familiar with Gary Friesen’s “Decision Making and the Will of God” in which he denies that God has a specific “plan” for each individual. His view is that we study, pray, and make the best decision we can.
I wrote about this a few weeks ago. I see most God’s will talk as hyper spiritualization and justification. I believe we make our best choices based on the big picture of truth and self-knowledge/providence and God works with us. Haven’t read the book. Have believed this for years.
BTW, most spiritual abuse uses “God’s will” as a pretext. I always am cautious around that kind of talk.
Peter Enns’ Inspiration and Incarnation is causing a big stink in some circles. Any thoughts on either the stink, or the book, or both?
I never read a book that was as identical to my own views as Enns. I wrote many of the same things in essays here, like In God’s Kitchen.
His firing shows the narrow minded scholarly bigotry that exists in some corners of Calvinism. Incredible.
Thanks, Michael. I agree, on both counts.
This goes to show that some Reformed don’t care how many crash their faith on the rocks of young earth creationism, etc. Sad.
Do you like Hockey? If so what NHL team?
Hockey is unknown in Ky. If you were interested, it was no where on TV till very recent cable offerings. I can’t see the puck. UK has a popular team.
Do you have any thoughts why Calvinism has become so popular in SBC circles?
Because thousands and thousands of young SBCers were starved for someone to take the Gospel seriously and call a stop to the circus we’d become. Thank God for SBC Calvinists making God serious and church mean something. We’d become a parody.
How do you feel about the Theologian Augustus Toplady and his write up of John Wesley? And also do you disagree with Anti-Sabbatarianism? Finally, I think you would agree for a true reformation in our country by the power of His Spirit what is needed is pure un-adulterated biblical truth, with the biblical hermeneutic of Calvin and a Lutheran understanding of the God and man relationship with ones commitment to the other ( God to Man)- I am a personal fan of Kierkegaard because of how he describes one’s relation with the eternal based on the eternal capturing the finite.
Thank you!
Haven’t read him.
Sabbath keeping is Old Covenant. Fulfilled in Christ.
Not looking for a reformation in “our country.”
Well obviously not in just our country but I meant specifically in our country…
Thank you for your response
PS, I agree on the sabbath! Its Fulfilled!
-Reid
Have you ever changed your position on a serious doctrine? What is serious, you be the judge.
Not serious in my view. Moving away from Calvinism, Charismatic view of the HS, YEC, etc. But not core beliefs.
What do you think about the presuppositional apologetic method that is sometimes popular amongst the Reformed?
It has magnificent strong points, but when applied in an “all or nothing” way that belittles all evidences and anyone else’s assertions, it can be really an exercise in arrogance. In certain kinds of debates, it’s priceless. In others, it needs to be used very judiciously or not at all.
I’m a youth pastor at a small Baptist church in northern Manitoba. Before I came here, the youth group consisted of a weekly 2-hour slot of games and a 10 minute lifeway video. We through that out the window, got some flak about it, lost some youth, and then have been attempting ever since to actually teach them about the Gospel and Jesus and the Bible and living a life that is transformed by said things. We now have a weekly bible study and I don’t underestimate these kids’ ability to think–in other words, we get pretty deep.
What would you suggest to evoke uplifting, perhaps life-changing conversation from teenagers, that would make the truth of the gospel stick?? (be it a specific book of the bible to study, another book to go through, a series of topics, whatever)
>What would you suggest to evoke uplifting, perhaps life-changing conversation from teenagers, that would make the truth of the gospel stick?
Brandon, are you this long in youth ministry and still using those adjectives about methods? Not sure I can help you.
Faithful, loving, honest, consistent, on their level, relevant to their lives. Hear their stories. Teach to the real kid, not to some theological goal. Get to the most basic questions that all kids have and none ever ask? Deal with the objections of atheists. I show atheist stuff all the time to my students.
Don’t hesitate to use stuff like Modern parables to generate some interest with a video generation. Lifeway stuff was terrible in my day.
The minister here is you. The real curriculum is the lives, families, pain and actual experiences of your kids. The Gospel applies. Be bold in your honesty and vulnerability.
peace
ms
>Brandon, are you this long in youth ministry and still using those adjectives about methods? Not sure I can help you.
I agree that those aren’t good adjectives to use. I couldn’t really think of what exactly to say, but I just want to get past indoctrinating them into good little Christians, because that’s what they’ve had their whole lives, and their older siblings/peers have now gone off to college or just stayed working around town and have rejected it all, or at least forgotten it all.
I thought of a better question than my last one…
What would you say to a smart teenager who is absolutely obsessed with Creationism/combating evolution? Maybe even more than that, I have some teenagers in my youth group who, I can tell, are really beginning to doubt YEC, and I am afraid, because of their Sunday School teachers’ and the other pastors’ views on it, its going to lead them to doubt Christianity in general. How can I show them that they don’t have to believe in YEC to believe in Jesus without getting put on a hit list?
If my church can’t handle the evolution/creation discussion, I would not get fired over it. I’d nod a lot and slip some internet addresses to the truly curious.
When you have more security, make the kids aware of the actual game score in the Christian world. Make sure they know that there are thousands of Christians who are scientists who accept evol and old earth. Be respectful to YEC because that kid needs that certainty. But I do not ever call it science. I mostly keep my mouth shut so I don’t get fired. It’s dynamite where I work.
Do your international students have opinions on the way some evangelical churches use an obsession with sports to get people to come to church? (This may not be an issue at an isolated rural campus). A few European/Chinese Christians I know find the whole Family Life Center craze extremely odd. Do you think this has any real effect for the Kingdom?
I don’t think my international students are much aware of Upwards, etc. I can say that the Christian experiences of my Ethiopians and Koreans do not include anything outside of worship and some Bible study, and the Koreans are very serious about that. Games, “fellowship” and recreation don’t connect up with church in their experiences.
Any real effect? I’d have to hear what you mean. Do I think that serving people in Jesus name can have an effect? Yes. Does that mean the church is an entertainment and country club? No. Does it mean some Christians will be called to be involved with sports and arts, etc.? Yes, absolutely. But the “our church needs a gym to keep the kids” thing is not good. If you want to build a facility and use it to serve the city and its people who can’t afford to be in leagues, etc. that can be a good way to serve people.
I have really been moved and tugged into re-considering the whole “Christian” faith in terms of it being much more about BEING Jesus in a world that needs to meet him, than it is about the rules and morality and doctrine. Without showing any disrespect to Scripture (because I prize it), could we say that most of CHristianity has become about following Paul and his theology than it is about following Jesus? Jesus certainly is documented as calling us to follow HIM. Seems to me much of CHristianity is about following Paul’s theology of CHrist. I see Scripture as saying itself that JESUS Himself is the WORD, and not necessarily the text. So do we follow JEsus, Paul, or the Bible? Which is the Savior and Lord? Certainly we need the Bible to show us Jesus and his words and acts, and perhaps Paul to put Jesus in theological perspective, but am I missing a boat or on the threshhold of heresy to suggest that we’ve been following the wrong trail for some time?
Wright says Jesus is the composer. Paul is a conductor. With Paul, you are reading the application of the Gospel to church planting and specific issues: inclusion of Gentiles esp.
Don’t let a wrong view of scripture as flat rob you of the simple truth that Chrstianity is about the Jesus shaped Kingdom. There are doctrines and morals and problems. You can’t make it what you want. But Jesus and Paul aren’t two names for the same person.
Jesus is the light that illumines scripture and the world. Paul is another Christian, though one God inspired to write essential scripture. Just keep it straight and passionately follow Jesus with all the apostles as a guide.
Two questions.
1. Do you think Baptists are right to assert that baptism is a prerequisite to the Lord’s Supper?
2. Do you think that we are beginning to see some relief in the takeover by Dispensational Premillinialism (I know misspelled)?
1. Absolutely. That’s not to say lightning will strike someone who does it otherwise, but I think it is the theologically logical order.
2.Yes. The younger leaders are abandoning dispensationalism. Of course, dispensationalism is changing to accommodate a lot of reformed theology these days.
As to answer for one, should we then discourage folks present who have been baptized as infants from partaking, and if we do see the church as the keeper of the Table, then aren’t we succoming eventually to Landmarkism and closed communion?
Most Baptists just say if you are baptized you can commune. In their doctrine they wouldn’t consider infant baptism real baptism, but in practice I’ve seen very very few bring it up at a LS service. The Baptists I know are very open communion in practice, no matter what they believe.
Landmarkism is a theory of Baptist origins. I don’t consider closed communionists to be Landmarkers. Landmarkers believe Jesus was a Baptist.
I agree with you, and that is the way I practice it, but if we do it that way are we really being honest with the BF&M.
that was my main point
I’ve learned more about you from these few short answers than anything else. Wonderful.
Here’s mine: Context: I am a “area church” guy. Know you don’t know all I mean by that but I am curious how “area church” folks will relate to the local churches all around them. Especially in regards to valuing spiritual leaders from different churches etc.
PS Can’t wait to see 1/1/11
I think most of us will want to have a home church or a base community. Whatever you want to call it. But that’s just pragmatism really. I think these days its good to say, at the foundation, I’m Baptist or I’m a part of this house church X or whatever. And its important to have a pastor. But if that means, as it does in most churches, church shaped discipleship, then be suspicious. How does that church allow you to be a Kingdom person? Does it matter whose meal for the homeless you work at? Does it matter whose inner city mission you lead worship for? Does it matter if you are “there every time the doors are open?”
No I believe a geographic idea of church is very helpful, even if we still say “that’s the community where I was baptised, have a pastor, etc.”
On 1/1/11 I will make and lose hundreds of friends in one day. It will be interesting.
Hi Michael,
Where do you agree and disagree with Arminianism soteriology? eg. Roger Olsen
Thanks
Bigger question than I want to take on. I’m pretty reformed on T and P. More Arminian on U and I. I think L is a ridiculous question.
Thanks – Im with ya!
What do you think of the Cleveland Indians trading away both Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez?
The Indians are obviously cleaning house. Not just making adjustments. They won’t find a better pitcher than Lee, but they don’t plan to pay those $$. So if that’s the thing- cheap rookies- then that’s fine. Martinez is no loss. I wish them luck. A great franchise that really sucks these days.
……..2 part question please…(1).in light of this grueling Q & A marathon.. how much coke and potato chips have you consumed within the past 18 hours ?…and 2 ..do you prefer aspirin or acetomenophen ?
1. Several Diet AW Root beers. That’s it. No snacks in the house.
2. That second word.
What do you think of the moves made by the Reds yesterday? Wise to give up two pitching prospects for a 35 year old third sacker with a history of injuries?
We were desperate for 3rd base defense and some stick. Encarnacion has ben doomed for a long time. Way too many errors. A good bat, but inconsistent, and just doesn’t have any intensity. Zzzzzz all the time. Reds are pitching rich. Took on a lot of parole, but this was a very good move for the Reds. If Bruce comes back and we can get rid of Gonzo and get a decent SS, we will be good offensively. Then we need to get rid of at least two starters. Lots of changes needed.
Have you read the popular Christian novel, The Shack? If so, do you agree with its portrayal of the Trinity, especially the gender aspect?
I’ve blogged extensively on the Shack. You can find that in Recommendations and Reviews or by searching Shack or Young.
The Shack is an allegory of Wm Young’s healing from the scars of sexual abuse as a young man. It’s a psychlogical work, not a theological one. I was deeply moved by the portrayal of God in the book. Since scripture sometimes describes God in feminine imagery and language, I was not offended.
Young has been vilified by the theological police, meanwhile millions buy the book and all testify that finally they are reading about an experience with God that speaks to their own longings to love and be loved by God. Hello? Wake up someone. The cold dead God of many Christians is not the God of Jesus.
Young’s book is full of theological mistakes and things I can’t affirm. Nonetheless, I get it: a story of loss and rediscovery of God. That’s why people love it. Not the theology of the Trinity.
I’m in the amen corner. Portraying God the Father as a large black woman may shock people, but no more than when Jesus called God “Abba”. They got over it, or perhaps they were the ones who lynched him.
I was talking with a friend about The Shack. He said that his own father had abandoned the family when he was little, and since then his image of fatherhood has always been negative. It’s no wonder that Young chose to portry the God the Father as a woman, perhaps to connect with many of the fatherless children in this country.
“All things to all people in order to win some.”
What do you think of Calvary Chapel Churches
There are only a couple in Ky, so I’m not really aware of them. I work with a CC couple, and they are wonderful Christians in every way. I am surprised how hard CSmith is on eschatology and anti-Calvinism. A bit overboard there. But the CC pastors I’ve met on the net have been great.
iMonk,
How about putting together an mp3 CD of your first 100 podcasts, warts and all, so folks like me can catch up on what we missed? This would be super easy for you to automate (been there done that) and would give you an additional income stream. I know I’d buy it in a minute.
Great idea. but my life doesn’t give me that kind of time. Unless I get fired. Hmmmm….
When did you say your book was coming out?
I haven’t signed officially till next week, but the pub date I have been told is Jan 1 of 2011.
You mean 1/1/11.
yes
Where can I get the t-shirt (imonk leading his flock)? Love what you’ve done today.
http://www.zazzle.com/everydaymommy/gifts
How do you preach the gospel to a non-theist? Or do you?
You preach the Gospel to everyone.
I think you do several things:
1. Jesus knew there were non-theists, and talked about the Father anyway.
2. Remember that Romans 1 says they know God but suppress the knowledge. We speak with that in mind.
3. We follow Peter’s advice and speak gently and with respect, including respecting non-belief. So we don’t approach arrogantly or with hostility. We are gently and to the point.
4. Paul spoke to those who were skeptical of all Gods in Acts 17. Model his use of the human heart and the evidence in pop culture.
5. Don’t debate or humiliate. Proclaim Good News. Sara Miles was converted by a silent communion. God the Spirit does the converting.
What do you think about blood in food? in sex? Weird question, I know, but the Bible seems to talk about this a lot. Blood in food was forbidden to Noah, prohibited in the law, and not allowed in the early church. The law prohibits having sex during menstruation, and the prohibition’s location among many other sexual prohibitions that we wouldn’t dream of disregarding seems to hint that it still applies. What do you think?
You seem to have an issue with the old covenant. All old testament laws of that type were fulfilled by Jesus and no longer apply. The prohibition on eating meat with blood in Acts was a concession to Jewish Christians reluctant to change their habits. It was a pragmatic concession, as can be seen throughout Paul’s letters and especially Hebrews where all foods are declared clean.
if you approach the Old Testament law as still in force for Christians, you need to read Galatians and Hebrews. The Law is shadow of Good things to come. They’ve come. No more priests. No more food laws. No more temple. No more sacrifices or Levitical piety. Only the moral law remains, and that as illuminated by the Gospel.
You sound like you are involved in either Adventism or some form of Jewish/Christian combination. Find the counsel of a New Covenant believing pastor in these matters.
Thanks for the reply.
I don’t really have a problem with the old covenant. I realize that Christ has fulfilled the sacrificial/dietary system. It’s the moral commands of the OT that I find sticky, and the one about sex and menstruation seems to be located in a list of moral commands (don’t sleep with your stepmom, another male, etc.). Also the command to Noah isn’t really part of the Old Covenenant. How do you approach the moral components of the Law? Noahic covenant?
That’s all old covenant or covenants if you are a dispensationalist. All that came before Christ was fulfilled by Christ.
The moral law and the ceremonial law are mixed together lots of places. That doesn’t mean they can’t be distinguished. Don’t consult the dead will be in the same chapter with don’t cut your sideburns.
What is your opinion on the people and theology of the “Church of Christ” (the mostly non-instrumental denomination)? Thanks.
My opinion of them as I experienced them in Western Ky is they didn’t consider me a Christian unless I was baptized by them and belonged to their church. That’s about as far as it goes with me.
I know there are a lot of great CofC people and churches, but in West Ky, they were totally without any recognition of other Christians.
You were at the Advance Conference, you’re familiar with the “Young, Restless, & Reformed” wave, you recognize great things going on here and have a few concerns as well.
What advice do you most want to give to the young men and women in this movement? If you had their eyes and ears for an hour of preaching, what would be your message? How do you want this generation to grow and know about God? (And not just for the church planters/full-time ministers).
The errors of Calvinism in the past are there for anyone to see and read. Read Iain Murray’s books, esp Spurgeon and HyperCalvinism and his book on Wesley. Buy a humble Calvinism.
All the good advice was at the conference, esp in Stetzer’s talk and Driscoll’s on idolatry. Lose the mentality of the conference and adopt a passion for seeing churches produce Kingdom disciples. Serve the cause of the Kingdom wherever God places you.
Be mentored, not by mp3s, blogs and books, but by older members. Learn to love the older generation and not be seduced by the next big thing.
Look at the humble and honest piety of true Christians whose names are unknown but whose light shines in the real world. Don’t imitate people who live on planes and conference stages. Imitate people who feed the hungry, preach to the poor and choose the road less travelled.
Beautiful. Thank you.