My favourite theologian, Scot McKnight, has just published his new essay at Christianity Today on the Emerging Church. In this article he hopes to undermine the urban legends surrounding this and provide a more accurate description of the emerging movement. If you have any queries or concerns about this movement, or if this is the first time you have heard about it, this is a good starting point.
Scot is well known for his scholarship in the theology arena, he is a professor at North Park University (Illinois). He is the author of more than 20 books including The Jesus Creed: Loving God and Loving others which won Christianity Today's book of the year for Christian living.
I highly recommend listening to what this guy has to say. His award winning blog, Jesus Creed, is ranked number one site by Technorati.com for the emerging church.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Where are my original thoughts?
I've been struggling to post lately because I have a cluttered mind. I have not had any original thoughts for a few weeks.
The start to the new year has been hectic and I have not had much time to be in a reflective state of mind. I have a project dead-line at work that has been moved forward by 1.5 months. Because the foundations of this project were not good, I feel like I am working blind. I'm adding brick on brick and hoping that a house comes from it. Perhaps I should just step back and spend the (considerable) time and start again. If only I had that luxury.
My new years resolutions / goals / committments are coming along okay. I have already broken a few, but rather than wallow in it, I am committing to them again, because every day is new. Thank God that His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).
I've been reading books and articles on missional shaped churches and am having discussions with my pastors now about entering the Australian College of Ministries (ACOM) to study a Bachelor of Theology (probaly speciallising in Church Planting or Emerging Churches). The good thing about ACOM is it's unique structure. There are no weekly classes, but rather intensives, mentoring, growth groups in your community, and every assessment is very practical.
Married life is great. I'm having a great time with my wife. Unfortunately our conversations have had a lot of finance talk lately. We are committing to spend some time to get our finances on track, make some share investments, and reevaluate our current spending habits. To us, managing our finances are an act of holistic worship. Finances are a trust from God. Money is to be our servant, not our master.
Further to that, I am also considering that physical exercise is a factor of holistic worship. My body is a trust from God and I don't want to abuse it any longer. So, Gayle and I have started playing tennis a couple times a week, jogging almost daily along the foreshore, and eating much healthier meels of salad and red meat. I've also become quite liberal in my alcohol consumption with a glass of wine daily and a couple of beers when i'm with mates.
My wifes parents were here for Christmas and New Year. I love spending time with them, they are a fun couple. I guess because they both have high demand jobs in Jakarta, they are always ready to let loose and have a good time when they holiday.
I also feel that my dad and I are making great in roads to a more healthy father/son relationship. We've never been at odds, but we have found it difficult to relate to eachother sometimes. Thank God that we are having longer conversations and speaking more often.
I hope to take some time out alone in the next few weeks with nothing but my bible and a notebook. I want to get back to basics and reignite my creative spark. Hopefully I will be able to make some original posts coming from my thoughts (or inspired thoughts) rather than evaluating every single this that I read or hear.
God Bless you all. I hope that 2007 is a year that sees you prosper in every way.
The start to the new year has been hectic and I have not had much time to be in a reflective state of mind. I have a project dead-line at work that has been moved forward by 1.5 months. Because the foundations of this project were not good, I feel like I am working blind. I'm adding brick on brick and hoping that a house comes from it. Perhaps I should just step back and spend the (considerable) time and start again. If only I had that luxury.
My new years resolutions / goals / committments are coming along okay. I have already broken a few, but rather than wallow in it, I am committing to them again, because every day is new. Thank God that His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).
I've been reading books and articles on missional shaped churches and am having discussions with my pastors now about entering the Australian College of Ministries (ACOM) to study a Bachelor of Theology (probaly speciallising in Church Planting or Emerging Churches). The good thing about ACOM is it's unique structure. There are no weekly classes, but rather intensives, mentoring, growth groups in your community, and every assessment is very practical.
Married life is great. I'm having a great time with my wife. Unfortunately our conversations have had a lot of finance talk lately. We are committing to spend some time to get our finances on track, make some share investments, and reevaluate our current spending habits. To us, managing our finances are an act of holistic worship. Finances are a trust from God. Money is to be our servant, not our master.
Further to that, I am also considering that physical exercise is a factor of holistic worship. My body is a trust from God and I don't want to abuse it any longer. So, Gayle and I have started playing tennis a couple times a week, jogging almost daily along the foreshore, and eating much healthier meels of salad and red meat. I've also become quite liberal in my alcohol consumption with a glass of wine daily and a couple of beers when i'm with mates.
My wifes parents were here for Christmas and New Year. I love spending time with them, they are a fun couple. I guess because they both have high demand jobs in Jakarta, they are always ready to let loose and have a good time when they holiday.
I also feel that my dad and I are making great in roads to a more healthy father/son relationship. We've never been at odds, but we have found it difficult to relate to eachother sometimes. Thank God that we are having longer conversations and speaking more often.
I hope to take some time out alone in the next few weeks with nothing but my bible and a notebook. I want to get back to basics and reignite my creative spark. Hopefully I will be able to make some original posts coming from my thoughts (or inspired thoughts) rather than evaluating every single this that I read or hear.
God Bless you all. I hope that 2007 is a year that sees you prosper in every way.
"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions
never fail.They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.I say to
myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one
who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD."
(Lamentations 3:21-26)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)