Lots-o-Links 9.8.08

New book in the mail, Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promise of Christmas.  It contains 22 readings for Advent, including ones from Martin Luther, Tim Keller, Jonathan Edwards, and others.

A church thinking missionally...Benched (via)...

Benched from Brandon McCormick on Vimeo.

Convention speeches as seen through Wordle. Very cool.

Christianity Today has a bunch of "Culture Making" stuff: Andy Crouch article, Andy Crouch interviewed, Andy thinking about his next book.

Craig Groeschel: The Power of Questions part 1, part 2, part 3.

Tim Keller's preaching notes. Good luck.

Jeremy Pryor: Your Discipleship Tools Are Too Weak (don't miss the helpful dialogue in the comments).

Total Church Conference: A Community-Centered Gospel.

Comments

[Tim Etherington]

The park bench was totally cool but I'm not sure how it was missional. I mean, the JayCees could have done that. Well, they probably wouldn't do it as well, the JayCees I knew weren't that creative, but you get the point.

Just ordered Culture Making.

[Steve McCoy]

Tim, do you think what they did has nothing to do with their mission? With THE Mission?

[Tyler]

wow those tim keller notes were unbelievable. i couldn't follow a thing.

[Tim Etherington]

I don't know Steve. I've been pondering this since I commented. I keep waffling on how/whether this relates to the mission.

Seeking the good of the city. Blessing to the nations. Got it. I guess what I'm missing is the connection to the Church or Christ.

I dunno, still scratching my head.

[Joe Thorn]

Tim, read up on corporeal works of mercy. That should help you out. I believe Catholics and Puritans would both see such a thing as a work of mercy.

[Tim Etherington]

Works of mercy. Got it. I'll take a peek. Thanks Joe.

But Jesus said if you give a cup of water "in my name". But then again, the cup doesn't have to have "Jesus" stenciled on it any more than the park bench does.

I'm still recovering from the American church's modernism/fundamentalism divide I guess.

[Ken in Virginia Beach]

Thanks for the link to the Keller notes. Isn't there some book called "Breaking the Missional Code" -- maybe that will help us unlock the secrets contained here!