Considering the New Perspective, Again

Trevin Wax has compiled some statements on Christianity from both John Piper and N.T. Wright to provide some context for their debate on justification.  I read this on Christianity Today and I am more confused than ever.  With so much in agreement, and the big difference being what is meant by “works of the law”, [...]

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Considering Donald Fehr’s Legacy

Much was made on Sports Talk Radio this morning about all the good Donald Fehr did as head of the MLB Players’ Association.  Faye Vincent mentioned that he stopped the owners from busting the union, which is the reason there was not World Series one year.  Players make a great deal more money these days [...]

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Considering Star Trek

I am not an official Trekkie.  I saw most of the movies with the original cast, but preferred the Next Generation show to the original show.  What I did appreciate was the bond of friendship that existed between Kirk, Spock and Bones.  This became more prominent in the movies.  Those movies were better than the [...]

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Considering Success

The final chapter of Total Church covers the idea of success.  After a few less than stellar chapters, they end the book with a home run.
Pastors and congregations often fall prey to false (idolatrous) views of success.  Those idolatrous views often assume control, OUR control over outcomes.  We do have control over our choices and [...]

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Considering Children and Young People

As a small church pastor, we failed to satisfy many a parent’s desires when it came to children’s programming.  This is the plight of many a small church.  This is the subject Chester and Timmis address next in Total Church: A Radical Reshaping Around Gospel and Community.
They begin by exposing the problem they are having [...]

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Considering Faith in the Face of Apostasy

This morning I had to give my first-ever children’s sermon.  The text was 1 Kings 18 (the subject of their children’s church lesson).  To prepare I broke out my copy of Faith in the Face of Apostasy: The Gospel According to Elijah and Elisha by Raymond Dillard.
The cycle of stories in 1 & 2 Kings [...]

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Considering Theology and Apologetics

As we move through Total Church, the authors discuss theology and apologetics in relationship to mission and community.  Part of what they are reacting to here is the form of systematic theology that is disconnected to biblical theology.  Not all systematic theology is disconnected in this way.  But too much is.
As a result they argue [...]

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Considering Spirituality

Spirituality is one of those touchy subjects prone to start a good fight.  And that is just within Christian groups, forget other religions.
By spirituality is meant how one “communes” with God, experiencing fellowship with Him and becoming more like him.
On this issue, the authors of Total Church come down decidedly on the side of the [...]

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Considering Discipleship, Training and Pastoral Care

Total Church moves from the outward focus to the inward focus that sustains the outward focus.  I like that they started with the outward focus.  Churches, just as C.S. Lewis said about sinners, tend to be curved inward.  Rare is the church that is to outward focused.  Most struggle against being ingrown, housebound and narcissistic.
They [...]

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Considering Taken

I was a little surprised when CavWife said she wanted to see Taken.  I had heard of the brutal torture scene (yes, though extracting information it was torture and tainted by revenge), and thought she wouldn’t be interested.  Ironically, while watching a preview she commented “that’s just about revenge.”  Nevertheless, while at Redbox, I picked [...]

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Considering Church Planting and World Mission

Let me tell you a story ….
Years ago in Orlando I was the member of a church that was beginning a capital fund raising program to move across the street into a huge new facility.  They thought it would take $5-6 million.  I met the pastor for lunch one day.  I asked him about the [...]

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Considering Evangelism and Social Involvement

After the introductory chapters on gospel and community, Total Church authors Chester and Timmis begin to practically work them out in a variety of important areas.  They start with evangelism and social involvement.
“Our conviction is that Christian are called to a dual fideltiy- fidelity to the core content of the gospel accompanied by fidelity to [...]

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Considering Gospel and Community

I’ve been working my way through Total Church: a Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community.  So far, it has been mostly positive.  Chester and Timmis rightly perceive many problems with how “church” is done in the Western world in which we live.  Most of their corrections are very good.  A few are frustrating.
They start with [...]

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Considering Paul Blart

In Paul Blart: Mall Cop, comedian Kevin James reunites with long-time collaborator Nick Bakay.  What emerges is something akin to John Candy’s Only the Lonely meets Die Hard. James has the sensitivity of Candy, but the strong physical humor of Belushi and Farley.
Paul Blart is a loveable loser.  He’s a mall cop who can’t seem [...]

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