Reformissionary

Gospel, Church & Culture: Darrin Patrick

Darrin Patrick speaks on Gospel, Church & Culture from a St. Louis Metro Church Planting meeting.  There should be more audio coming, including some from Mark DeVine.

Keller @ Gospel Coalition Conference

Here's Tim Keller's Gospel Coalition Conference message: "Gospel-Centered Ministry" (also video). You should already have it if you subscribe to the Resurgence podcast.  Check out the rest of my Tim Keller resources.

(via)

Salt and Light

God intends us to penetrate the world.  Christian salt has no business to remain snugly in elegant little ecclesiastical salt cellars; our place is to be rubbed into the secular community, as salt is rubbed into meat, to stop it going bad.  And when society does go bad, we Christians tend to throw up our hands in pious horror and reproach the non-Christian world; but should we not rather reproach ourselves?  One can hardly blame unsalted meat for going bad.  It cannot do anything else.  The real question to ask is: Where is the salt?

John Stott in The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, p 65.

Lots-O-Links-n-Shtuff

Allelon - "a movement of missional leaders" -- They have a website which has a number of resources, but I'm really loving Alan Roxburgh's netcast (especially the audio podcast) the most.  There are things said that I don't like or agree with, but in general this is a great podcast for seeing the emerging missional church for what it is and what it claims to be in different locations.  The interview with Steve Taylor is really great.

Theology Unplugged (TUP) is a podcast by some Dallas Seminary profs.  They say, "The uniqueness of TUP is that we speak on theological issues of the day with clarity, honesty, and openness. TUP allows the listener to make informed judgments on the most important theological issues today."  Their seven part series on the emerging church is a great example of that.  I'm through the first three episodes and I'm pretty shocked at how well they do in trying to understand the emerging church.  Well worth hearing. (HT: Internet Monk Radio)

Peter Leithart finds ways of saying things that just make sense to me...

One of my recurring frustrations with recent debates in the Reformed world is a widespread failure of theological imagination. Too many seem to operate on the assumption that we have everything already figured out; we have all possible categories and positions ready to hand. All we need do is deploy these categories on whatever happens our way. It'll fit, Procrustes says.

Thus, it is seriously proposed that someone is either on the road to Rome or the Road to Geneva - with no possibility of a third (or fourth, or fifth) destination, with no possibility that there might be something in between (though in between is where much of the Christian world lives). And if I suggest that we Reformed might still have something to learn from the Bible about justification, then I must be Rabbinic or Roman Catholic - there simply is no other alternative.

The Evangelical Outpost (Joe Carter) wonders why Southern Baptists would create boundaries with alcohol that would exclude Jesus from leadership in the convention.  He asks, "Can we be more ethical than Jesus?"

Darryl Dash hears Tim Keller and blogs: Tim Keller on Spiritual Fruit and Ministry.

Desiring God Blog: 25 Ways to Help Kids Love to Read

Drew Goodmanson on Missional Eldership.

Miniature Earth -- "If the world's population were reduced to 100, it would look something like this..."

English 101 (we all make mistakes, but some of us make too many!)

Some Videos...

Children See, Children Do...

Doll Face...

Stop Motion Beatbox...

Stetzer on LifeWay Podcast

New LifeWay podcast with Ed Stetzer is up.

Acts 29: Clarification

Scott Thomas, Acts 29 Network Director, on the "Seven Misrepresentations of Acts 29."

The Forgotten Ways

Alan Hirsch's book, The Forgotten Ways, is causing me to ask a lot of good questions of my theology, my ecclesiology & missiology.  It's good, challenging stuff and I recommend you pick it up.  I've been meaning to read/review this book for some time and it has been too long in coming.  Over the next few weeks or so I'm going to make the effort to post a few quotes, reflections, and/or questions about the book and the issues it raises.  Please feel free to interact with the ideas.

I wish I had time to do the book more justice, but Scot McKnight (for one) spent a good deal of time on the book (Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8).  You might also want to check out Jordan Cooper's epic first half review here. I encourage you to go to these links for a good recap of the arguments of the book.

If the heart of discipleship is to become like Jesus, then it seems to me that a missional reading of this text requires that we see Jesus's strategy is to get a while lot of little versions of him infiltrating every nook and cranny of society by reproducing himself in and through his people in every place throughout the world. (p 113)

Reasons Why I Love Us

Here's a reason why I love the SBC: Ed Stetzer. Some good news from LifeWay...

Three Southern Baptist entities - LifeWay Christian Resources, the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and the International Mission Board (IMB) - have forged a collaborative research effort in which LifeWay Research will conduct special research projects on behalf of NAMB and IMB.

As part of the new initiative, Ed Stetzer, missiologist and senior director of the Center for Missional Research at NAMB, will become director of LifeWay Research, effective June 1. Stetzer also will serve as LifeWay’s missiologist in residence.

Ed Stetzer is a friend and I'm happy to see him doing some new things for the SBC and larger Christian mission in the world.

Missional Church in Suburbia Paper

Todd Hiestand posts the paper he read at a regional ETS meeting, "The Gospel and the God-Forsaken: The Challenge of the Missional Church in Suburbia."

Sabbatical Food

Here are a few resources I've enjoyed so far on my week-long planning/strategy sabbatical.  Some are new to me.  Some are for review or rereading or re-listening.  Some books I'm reading in full, some in part. 

Tim Keller: Should I Not Love That Great City?
Tim Keller: The Meaning of the City
Tim Keller: Love for the City
Tim Keller: Why to Plant Churches
Mark Driscoll: Leadership Lessons from Nehemiah Part 1, Part 2 (notes Part 1, Part 2)
Philip Yancey: Prayer
Bill Sullivan: Ten Steps to Breaking the 200 Barrier
Bil Cornelius: Go Big
Bill Hybels: Just Walk Across the Room
Church Leader Insights (Nelson Searcy): Momentum and Church Growth (post/article by Scott Whitaker)

I'm also doing some of my planning/strategy work at Bubbl.us, which is a simple way to do mind-mapping.

Some resources I hope to get to...
Henry Cloud: 9 Things a Leader Must Do
Jonathan Edwards: Personal Narrative
Don Whitney: Family Worship

Reasons Why I Hate Us 2

Baptist "Press" has two articles of note today (that's two more than normal). 

First is the "No Beer at NCAA 'Kind of Fun'" article.  This has to do with SBC life in what way?  I agree that basketball games without drunk frat guys are better, but this is clearly on BP as anti-alcohol prop-A-ganda.  Probably meant to bolster the second article, "Alcohol, Acts 29 and the SBC." 

My favorite quote...

The emerging church movement is diverse and difficult to generalize. However, the mix of influences includes: postmodernism (a focus on sense-making through the various mediums of culture); Calvinism ala John Piper; and for some, Christian liberty, as granted by their scriptural interpretation, to drink alcohol and engage in other cultural activities that many Southern Baptists eschew based on opposing scriptural interpretation.

Which passages would THAT interpretation come from?  Anyone?

Cutting Edge Keller

I first heard through Charlie Pharis that Tim Keller (Tim Keller Resources) has an article in the Cutting Edge, a Vineyard church planting publication, but it wasn't online.  Now it is.   Read Keller's article on "Our New Global Culture: Ministry in Major City-Centers."  Looks like some other good articles there too, and Cawley has a list of Keller's points.

Piper & Dever & Ware, Oh My

I listened to the new 9 Marks interview last night: Particular Redemption, The New Perspective, and More with John Piper (and Bruce Ware!).  This is a wonderful, encouraging, challenging discussion. 

It starts with Piper and Ware discussing differences in their soteriology.  It's basically Piper challenging Ware's soteriology.  Then you get a lot of Piper (with a little Dever seasoning) discussing all sorts of things: what he's writing and has written, what's wrong with missional, contextualization, ecclesiology, and much more.  Don't miss the place where Piper challenges Dever's resistance to multiple services.  Piper = "in yo face, speaking the truth in love, hard to argue with the Christ-like, erudite pastor" fun.

As usual I don't agree with everything or everyone in the audio.  But overhearing this conversation was very enjoyable for me and shows why I love John Piper so much.  Listening to him makes me want to be a more devoted and passionate disciple, husband and pastor.

I also want to reiterate how much I like the 9 Marks website.  Lots of articles, reviews, and a great list of other free audio interviews.  Again, I don't agree with everything at 9 Marks, but I consider Dever a mentor on several levels and I like much of what they have to say to churches and pastors.

Knowing Mark Driscoll

Ed Stetzer interviews Mark Driscoll for the Exponential Conference (National New Church Conference) podcast.  Want to know more about "the cussing pastor?"  Want to know more about Driscoll's church, prayer life, struggles with sin, history with Emergent guys, or preaching?  This is a great way to find out from the horse's mouth instead of the latest blog gossip.  Great info.  Very encouraging. 

Grab it at the Exponential site, or on iTunes.  The whole series of podcasts has been helpful.

Thirteen on Thursday

I dunno, I thought it would be fun to put up 13 things worth looking into on this cold and rainy Thursday in Chicagoland.  This is going to be pretty random, but I expect most of you will find a gem in there somewhere.  In no particular order but numbered for your counting pleasure...

1. Dwight Schrute Video (via Marko): "selling paper, fighting evil."  A hilarious, Schrutastic 2 minutes of pure Office-alicious enjoyment.  Please use this opportunity to stay in touch with your inner Schrute, who "has the strength of a grown man AND a little baby."

2. Tim Keller Quotes: thanks to Charlie.  Here's one...

If you speak and discourse as if your whole neighborhood is present eventually more and more of your neighborhood will find their way in or be invited. Why? Most Christians, even when they are very edified in church, know intuitively that their non-Christian friends would not appreciate the service. What you want is for a Christian to come to your church and say, "Oh! I wish my non-Christian friend could see (or hear) this!" If this is forgotten, soon even a growing church will be filled with Christians who commute in from various towns and communities far and wide rather than filling up with Christians and seekers from your church's immediate neighborhood.

3. Gary Rohrmayer says to look for a "Man of Peace."

Here are a few things to look for: 1)  They are not just open to the gospel but they receive the gospel freely.  2) They are in a position of great influence over their family, friends and within the community.  3) They have the ability to introduce church planters into their sphere of influence effectively.  4) They are also great "bringers and includers" of others into the life of the church.

4. Dictionary Tooltip for Firefox.  Love this extension.

5. Joe Thorn shamed me to switch my feed reading to Google Reader.  Great recommendation.  I've added a daily updated list on my left sidebar that shows what I liked from my feeds.

6. Convert your docs to PDF documents.  "Very nice!  How much?"  Free.

7. After hearing Shane Claiborne on the Catalyst podcast, I was intrigued.  Get it.  Check out The Simple Way.

8. Ed Stetzer has some stats on the survivability of church plants.

9. Check out John Piper's Don't Waste Your Life video podcast.  (via KC)

10. Have you seen the new Challies-ified Monergism site?  Looks great, and of course it contains great content.

11. You may want to check out the Internet Monk's conversations with another blogger about Southern Baptist identity (you will need to scroll to find all of them).  Some helpful stuff by iMonk.  The other guy?  Not so much.

12. We are just starting to use Fighter Verses for family Scripture memorization.  You can subscribe to the podcast which also contains audio of the verses. 

13. Saving the best for last, this is without question the greatest photo in Joe Thorn's portfolio...

Audio Interview with Alan Hirsch

Rodney Olsen, an Australian radio show host and blogger, let me know of an interview he did with Alan Hirsch on his book The Forgotten Ways.  A very worthwhile interview.

I'm currently reading Hirsch's book slowly (I'm not doing enough reading lately) and expect to have a handful of posts up on the book in the weeks ahead. 

Notes on a Busy Day

A couple of important things in my life at the moment...

- My 8 year old, Jack, had surgery today.  He had tubes put in his ears and his adenoids removed.  It has been a long day for us and longer for my son.  He's resting now, my wife is off helping our local school find a new principal, and I'm preparing for a funeral tomorrow morning. 

- Ed Stetzer, Darrin Patrick, and (by default) many younger leaders in the SBC are under attack from a Missouri guy named Roger Moran.  Marty Duren has the details and Joe Thorn adds some helpful thoughts.  Joe writes...

This appears to be a case of guilt by association. The gist of this man’s argument is that when we work with other evangelical bodies outside of the SBC we are endorsing everything anyone does or thinks who is also a part of that organization. Were this true it would create serious problems for many of our best leaders and professors who work with other groups who differ from the SBC but remain evangelical. The whole thing would be funny if this guy wasn’t serious, and wasting everyone else’s time.

Geez it's easy to hate us.  Stetzer just nailed it at the Baptist Identity Conference and then we have to get this kind of crap.  No wonder I get emails weekly from disgrunted young guys who either want to leave the convention because of stupid stuff like this or who thought about joining up with the SBC but have decided they aren't wanted for various silly reasons.  I will post an email soon from one of those guys.

By the way, Union U has modeled something that much of the rest of the SBC doesn't get.  Instead of screaming at and snubbing bloggers they embraced us, gave opportunities for their students to meet us, and made us feel welcome and appreciated.  Maybe Union should secede from the Convention? ;)

- I just received three different packages in the mail today.  One dude bought me a book from Amazon, Crossway sent me a book to review, and a well-known emerging church guy just sent me a pile of books (from commentaries to the very practical).  I got 14 books in all today, all for free from generous friends.  Thanks much guys!

Baptist ID Conference Audio

I made it home safely.  One quick word to end the evening (as I get ready for tomorrow).  All of the audio for the Baptist Identity Conference is up, including Ed Stetzer's talk which is probably the most important thing a Baptist has said about the Convention in some time.  If you listen to one thing, listen to Ed.  If you listen to a handful, please hear Mike Day, Greg Thornbury, and David Dockery.  I haven't heard Timothy George since we had to leave early in order to get home in time to be ready for tomorrow. 

Baptist ID Conference: Day 3

Geez, Ed Stetzer delivered a powerful, biblical, and thoughtful paper this morning.  Joe Thorn and I are getting ready to leave town and I don't have time to comment much, but this was fantastic.  Honestly, there is probably no way to do this justice in a post.  Maybe his paper will be made public at some point?  Dunno.  Grab the audio when it comes out at least.  Man, this was great.

Beer, Bible & MSNBC

I don't know how I missed this.  Remember the Beer in the Bible article about The Journey Church in St. Louis?  Well their pastor and my friend, Darrin Patrick, was interviewed by MSNBC.  Love it.

(via Acts 29 Newsletter, sign up at bottom left of page)

Solomon's Porch Video

Here's a video sure to spark discussion on emerging church and truth issues, among other things.  It's about Solomon's Porch: A Holistic, Missional, Christian Community, where Doug Pagitt (blog) is Pastor. 

Do everyone a favor and do more than just react.  Please try to be generous in your comments.  You will likely disagree with some things.

(HT: Tony Jones)

Reading, Wanting & Teaching

I'm reading several books right now including The Power of the Hour (Lakhani) and The Forgotten Ways (Hirsch).  The Forgotten Ways is a very interesting read so far.  My worship team and I are reading Pleasing God in our Worship, a booklet by Robert Godfrey.  Basic but good.  Bob Roberts' new book is out, Glocalization.  I've read his other book, Transformation, and liked it.  Looking forward to picking up this new one.  You should keep up with Bob's blog as well.

I also wanted to mention that a generous Amazon.com shopper sent me the New and Collected Poems (1931-2001) of Czeslaw Milosz.  Awesome!

I just finished preaching a series of sermons on generosity.  God's timing was amazing with this series and the events of my life.  I then preached Psalm 103 last Sunday, will be preaching on being a church without walls this coming Sunday and on the need for small groups on the 18th.  Then I start a series on the book of Daniel that should take us through to warmer weather (it's currently 1 degree with like a -10 wind chill).

In another study I do before worship on Sundays I just finished teaching through The Enemy Within (Lundgaard) and am now doing a straight-up practical series on The Organized Life.

I'll post soon on some really incredible things God has done for our family.  Look for it.

Incarnational vs Attractional Super Bowl

The NFL has demanded a church not show the Super Bowl...

NFL officials spotted a promotion of Fall Creek Baptist Church's "Super Bowl Bash" on the church Web site last week and overnighted a letter to the pastor demanding the party be canceled, the church said.

[...]

Newland said his church won't break the law.

"It just frustrates me that most of the places where crowds are going to gather to watch this game are going to be places that are filled with alcohol and other things that are inappropriate for children," Newland said. "We tried to provide an alternative to that and were shut down."

Other Indiana churches said they are deciding whether they should go through with their Super Bowl party plans, given the NFL's stance.

My thoughts?  You can't love Jesus and the Colts, so either the church is a cult or they are misguided on their choice of football team. 

Seriously, how about telling the members to invite their lost neighbors into their homes for the game?  Or how about going to your lost neighbor's house if they invite you?

Beer, Darrin Patrick & The Journey

Wow.  Very interesting article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about The Journey Church in St. Louis and their pastor, Darrin Patrick.  It's called, ahem, "Beer and the Bible."  Darrin is a friend and someone who I think is doing an unbelievable job pastoring.  They are associated with the SBC as well as Acts29 (Picture credits to the StLP-D).

It seems, according to the article, that there are some frustrations in the Missouri Baptist Convention because they loaned The Journey money to buy a building and then found out some at The Journey drink (like Jesus).  The Journey has a regular theology event called Theology at the Bottleworks where they discuss all sorts of issues, and yes, some drink a beer there. 

Theology at the Bottleworks is run by a wildly successful congregation of young St. Louisans called The Journey. The Schlafly program is part of the church's outreach ministry. And it works.

Every month dozens show up at the brewpub to drink beer and talk about issues ranging from racism in St. Louis to modern art controversies to the debate about embryonic stem cell research. First-timers are invited to check out the church on Sunday, and Journey leaders say many have. Theology at the Bottleworks is just one of The Journey's ministries, but it has helped the church grow from 30 members in late 2002 to 1,300 today.

Read this article.

Church Leader Roundup

Here are a few things I've read recently that you might want to check out.

Kent Shaffer: 5 Ways Your Church Can Build Trust In Your Community
Mark Driscoll: Twenty Leadership Questions for Building a City Within the City (including Driscollian chest fur)
Tony Morgan: 10 Signs You're Not Ready for Change
Drew Goodmanson: The Future of Spirituality and What Is After Postmodernism
Steven Furtick: Irreplaceable
Mark Dever: Baptists and Elders (best for Baptists who don't have elders)
Joshua Sowin: A Guide to Writing Well
Acts29: An Expanded List of Books for Missional Church Planters
ESV Daily Readings (I'm doing this one)

World Changers

I should have been linking this blog for some time now, but just realized I don't have him on my blog list.  Please keep up with Steve Addison's blog, World Changers.  It's consistently fantastic.

The Mission and Rick McKinley

One of the podcasts I enjoy is Catalyst.  Recently they interviewed Rick McKinley and discussed kingdom issues, the gospel, his church (Imago Dei, Portland) and the Church, the emerging church & Emergent, and practical missional stuff.  I've listened to it a few times now and it continues to provoke me in the right direction.  Check it out.

Keller: Leadership & Church Size

New article by Tim Keller in the new issue of The Movement (Redeemer's church planting newsletter): "Leadership and Church Size Dynamics."  This is Part 1 of 2.  Read the rest of the issue here. 

Also encourage you to read the interview with J.R. Vassar, "Calling and Seduction of the City."  He is the planter of Apostles Church in Manhattan, NYC.  I met him in my first year of ministry in Colorado when he spoke at a college retreat I organized.  Good guy.

In other Redeemer resource news, I noticed a few days ago that Redeemer has a Coaching Urban Church Planters book out from J. Allen Thompson.  Should be helpful.

Missionary Work in Suburbia

Hamo (Andrew Hamilton) over at Backyard Missionary has some good thoughts (not earth shattering, but good) in his three part series, "Some Thoughts on Missionary Work in Suburbia."  He discusses six building blocks.

Post 1...
    1. Proximity - being near people
    2. Regularity - spending significant time together
Post 2...
    3. Depth - going beyond the fluff in relationships
    4. Conflict - being prepared to disagree and realise that’s ok and necessary
Post 3...
    5. The Message - we need to speak about who we are, and why
    6. The Supernatural - ultimately it still comes down to a work of God
Post 4...
    Going a little deeper with the above six points

Third Places in Suburbia

Some helpful thoughts on Third Places from Rick at The Blind Beggar.

McKnight on The Emerging Church

I finally got around to reading Scot McKnight's 30 page paper on the Emerging Church, "What is the Emerging Church?," that he presented at WTS.  It once again proves that McKnight is one of the most important voices speaking about (and within) the Emerging Church.  I highly recommend you read it if you any interest in understanding the EC.

Reformissionary Roundup

Time for a roundup of random stuff.

1. I've started a Bible study series at our church based on Kris Lundgaard's book, The Enemy Within (@ Monergism).  Lundgaard's book is based on two of John Owen's works on sin.  I read it a few years ago and rereading it for this series.  Very helpful book.  Justin Taylor points to some of Lundgaard's audio messages on The Enemy Within.

2. Watched the movie Click with my wife yesterday.  It was moderately funny.  Best part of the movie is what Adam Sandler does to David Hasselhoff (there's a bad word here, so don't watch if you can't handle it).

3. Speaking of video, the Smiling Addiction video is great.  It's an original piece (including original music) by Crossroads Community Church in GA.  I think Joe Thorn first pointed me to this.

4. It looks like Paradox, a music venue at Mars Hill Seattle but not run by Mars Hill, is no more.  This article doesn't really give Mars Hill's perspective in a good light, but the news was worth mentioning.

5. Have you taken a trip on Line Rider yet?  Throw on a scarf and go!

6. Alan Hirsch is blogging.

7. Tim Keller wants to help you know how to "Work."  Great sermon.  Keller provides Dorothy Sayers' definition of the biblical doctrine of work: "Work is the gracious expression of creative energy in the service of others."  Other TK Resources.

Blogging for Pastors

Cory Miller asked me 5 Blogging Questions.  I answered them.  Cory has them up now at ChurchCommunicationsPro.  See how other bloggers responded.

Reasons Why Faith Spreads

Bob Roberts posts on a conversation with Alan Hirsch about the reasons why faith spreads, about movements.  It's worth reading and thinking about.  You should keep up with Bob Roberts' blog over at Glocalnet.

The Forgotten Ways by Alan Hirsch

Alan Hirsch's new book, The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating the Missional Church, is going to be released in December.  Below are two pictures.  Click on them for large, readable versions.  The first is the cover and praise for the book.  The second is much the same thing with Brazos info so you can pre-order the book at half price.  How cool is that?  Go to the Brazos website or call 1-800-877-2665.

   

McKinley @ Catalyst

One of the many conferences I wanted to attend this year was Catalyst.  Rick McKinley, pastor of Imago Dei in Portland, is one of the speakers I wanted to see.  Out of Ur has some thoughts on the "lab" McKinley led at Catalyst...

"As pastors, we are tempted to build the church," [McKinley] said. "So we send out postcards to targeted Zip codes and we promote church programs." But that misses the point, he argued. "Our job isn’t to build the church. We’re supposed to BE the church, and build the kingdom." He emphasized that the kingdom is to be experienced NOW, on earth, as Christians exemplify godly living, but he also pointed out, as the recent school shootings demonstrate, that the kingdom is also "not yet." God’s kingdom won’t be realized in its fullness as long as such sin characterizes our world.

[...]

"The best expression of the church is NOT what happens on Sunday morning. It’s what happens in the world during the week. And that’s not something you can market."

His most provocative statements focused on the Christian’s calling to love their neighbors, even if those neighbors don’t respond to Christ or clean up their act. He told of his church’s messy efforts to love those with addictions, mental illnesses, and other conditions that aren’t easily cleaned up.

"We’re not called to change people’s behavior; we’re called to love them whether they change or not. It’s up to God to change them."

Driscoll & Piper Email Exchange

Mark Driscoll posts (with permission) his email exchange with John Piper after speaking at the Desiring God conference.  It puts to rest the idea that Piper and Driscoll are at odds, as has been the discussion on the web.  From Piper's last email to Driscoll, after Driscoll asked if he could post their email exchange online...

...tell the world that, I would not have .001 seconds hesitation in having Mark Driscoll come back tomorrow to our church or our conference. I LOVE being on the same team and consider my self a learner in your presence more than a counselor.

Loving Our Neighbors

Love for our neighbors...like love for ourselves, involves something vastly more significant than the meeting of individual needs.  It involves God's reaching out in us and through us to build a kingdom, a sphere of rulership, in which his will is done in the fallen world as it is in the sinless heavens; in which cruelty and disorder and the distortion caused by sin are supplanted by love, order and righteousness.  Loving obedience to God produces much more than individual goodness, respectability and the alleviation of suffering.  It builds the kingdom of heaven.

Richard F. Lovelace in Renewal as a Way of Life, p. 40.

Desiring God: Keller and Driscoll

Challies has posts with content from the Desiring God conference messages (mostly relaying content in his own words) of Tim Keller...

There has to be a lifelong process of realizing the wonder of the gospel. Religion gives you control which is why it's so popular. Religion is "I obey, therefore I'm accepted." The gospel is "I'm accepted, therefore I obey."

...and Mark Driscoll...

John Calvin was not just a contender but a contextualizer, so we must redeem what it means to be a true Calvinist. When persecution happened in Europe, people flocked to Geneva. Calvin trained them and then sent them out to share the gospel. If you are a true Calvinist you are not just a contender, but also a contextualizer.

9Marks & The Missing Keller

9Marks Ministries (Mark Dever) has a new set of articles up about the "missional" church (see left side of their homepage).  Jonathan Leeman's article, "What in the World is the Missional Church?," is most prominent and includes history, quotes and thoughts from Guder to Stetzer.  You may find his article and others at 9Marks worth reading, and at least an honest attempt of baptist reformed types who desire to understand "missional."

An obvious problem with Leeman's article is that he didn't even mention Tim Keller.  Keller is a reformed conservative (as is 9Marks & Dever) and so discussing Keller should have been essential, and maybe even central to this article.  On top of that, missional thinkers admit they owe much to Keller's writings, sermons, conference messages and local church example.  So in my mind, regardless of some of the thoughtful things Leeman says, missing Keller is missing  "missional."  It's disappointing.

Keller & Driscoll: Desiring God Videos

Here's all the Desiring God Conference promo videos (released ones, at least) for Mark Driscoll and Tim Keller.  I've updated my Keller Resources page with his videos as well.

 

	Mark Driscoll Emerging vs. Emergent Seeker vs. Missional—Part One Seeker vs. Missional—Part Two Biblical Principles and Cultural Methods Style in Ministry               The Importance of Theology               The Need for Cultural Immersion               Relating to Sinners                                    Developing Young Leaders in the Church Church Planting, Innovation, and Male Leadership               Cultural Values and the Preaching of Repentance               Christian Culture vs. Biblical Culture               The Decline of Denominations               Worldliness and Culture Issues of Worldliness The Messiness of the Church The Church Creating Culture
	Tim Keller The Scripture as Foundation Is the Bible Culturally Conditioned? Missional vs. Evangelistic Is Redeemer Church ‘Emergent’? Characteristics of a Missional Church Preaching and the Missional Church Being Salt & Light in Culture The Gospel, Moralism, and Irreligion The Importance of Doctrine Theological Training Publicity and Redeemer Church

Driscoll Updates Ministry in Seattle

Mark Driscoll has a nice, long post on what's happening in his life & at Mars Hill.  It's an interesting post with a look at a few people who are throwing stones at him, the growth issues they face at Mars Hill as well as the number of people they have in various recovery groups, and stuff he is writing. 

Whatever you think of Driscoll, it's good to keep up.

600 Pages

I recently read three books, each running about 200 pages.

The first was The Suburban Christian by Albert Hsu.  I thought it was a very helpful book on suburban Christian spirituality that fills a gap in understanding life in suburbia.  There are points Hsu makes that I don't completely agree with, but all-in-all this is a good book worth checking out.

The second was Simple Church by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger.  I really wasn't sure what to expect since I hadn't read Rainer in near a decade.  I really enjoyed the book.  It was similar to something Andy Stanley might say (and at times has said), and I say that as a compliment.  If you are a pastor or church leader, this book will have plenty of good advice for you.

The third and final read I both started and finished last night.  It was Speaking of Jesus by J. Mack Stiles.  This book has been on my shelf for a few years at least.  I really was looking to read a book that gave some practical, conversational helps.  I wasn't disappointed.  There were a few places where I wish Stiles would have taken a more missional approach, but as a whole I liked the book and would encourage my people to read it.  If you are looking for some practical advice on talking with people about Jesus there are many good things out there, and this book is a good one too.

Darrin Patrick on Video Venues

Bob Hyatt has pointed to a thoughtful comment from Darrin Patrick (The Journey Church in St. Louis, Acts29) on church planting, church growth, and the use of video venue preaching.  It's worth reading.

The Task of Evangelism

The task of evangelism is...best understood as the proclamation that Jesus is already Lord, that in him God's new creation has broken into history, and that all people are therefore summoned to submit to him in love, worship and obedience.  The logic of this message requires that those who announce it should be seeking to bring Christ's Lordship to bear on every area of human and worldly existence.  Christians must work to help create conditions in which human beings, and the whole created world, can live as God always intended.

N.T. Wright in TNTC: Colossians and Philemon (on Colossians 1:19-20), 79-80.

Suburban Christian: Place and Anonymity

When we speak of "community," we usually mean it in the sense of affinity groups, like the arts community, the African American community, the gay/lesbian community, the Christian community.  Lost today is the sense of physical community, in which "community" refers to a particular geographic area or neighborhood that anchors us and defines us. (p 117)

The chief antidote to suburban anonymity and isolationism may well be the Christian practice of hospitality. (p 132)

Both from Albert Hsu's The Suburban Christian.

The Suburban Christian

I just got Albert Hsu's The Suburban Christian and immediately read about half of it last night.  I'm really enjoying it.  What I find fascinating is the way Hsu speaks of suburbia in much the same way some speak of the city.  Here are a couple of quotes.

Suburbia has become the context and center of millions of people's lives, and decisions and innovations made in suburbia influence the rest of society.  If Christians want to change the world, they may well do so by having a transformative Christian impact on suburbia and the people therein. (27-28)

While an individual suburb might not be a microcosm of the total city, it is an essential slice of the larger metropolis that cannot be partitioned off or seen in isolation, just as a traditional local urban neighborhood is an essential component of the whole city. (29)

Gospel & Our Culture Network

The Gospel and Our Culture Network has a revamped site which looks good.  If you are unfamiliar with GOCN, here's some info from their site...

The Gospel and Our Culture Network has been spawned by:

• the cultural currents of Western society and ethnic tradition that have shaped how we live in North America.


• the rapid changes taking place as we move from a "modern" to "postmodern" form of society.


• the growing un-ease of the church as it experiences a dislocation from its prior places of importance.

The aim is to explore what these things mean, under the light of the gospel, for the life and witness of the church.

[...]

The network offers companionship for Christian leaders and groups eager to work together with others who share similar concerns. It brings together people from a wide spectrum of churches -- from Mennonite to Roman Catholic, from Anglican to Southern Baptist -- and a range of local ministry settings.

• It puts theological educators and ministry practitioners into fruitful contact with each other so that effective strategy and sound theory may be wedded together.


• It provides mutual encouragement between denominational administrators and local congregational leaders to discover models of the church capable of sustaining a living and faithful witness to the gospel in our contemporary world.


• It encourages the formation of local groups in which pastoral and lay leaders of congregations work together to develop practical responses to contemporary challenges.


• It makes available resources and materials to facilitate vision and change in the missional life of the church.

Following Jesus Into Exile

A couple of quotes from Michael Frost's Exiles...

We cannot demonstrate Christlikeness at a distance from those whom we feel called to serve.  We need to get close enough to people that our lives rub up against their lives, and that they see the incarnated Christ in our values, beliefs, and practices as expressed in cultural formes that make sense and convey impact. (p 55)

I would argue that in today's society, any attempt to model your life on the life of Christ must include a genuine attempt to hang out regularly in third places.  Genuine incarnational living demands it.  Missional proximity can best be developed in bars, pubs, gyms, grocery stores, beauty parlors, community groups, and coffee shops. (p 59)

Links Matter

A few links...

John Piper has written a manuscript responding to N.T. Wright's view of justification.  Who knows if/when we will see it since he is seeking the thoughts of others on it, but the conversation at Justin Taylor's blog about it is already interesting.  Piper wrote this on his summer sabbatical at Cambridge.

Brian Spears writes on the 10 things you'll learn by visiting other churches.  Always helpful for those of us who too rarely get to visit other churches.

The Church Planting Resources site is looking good, and is now considered to be 83% sexier (according to Drew Goodmanson).  It's a site for "free exchange of information to help build the Kingdom and ultimately spread the gospel." 

Comback Churches has some good stuff from Ed Stetzer, including his "Stirring the Waters" articles.

And have I mentioned before the PeopleGroups website?  Some good, basic demographic stuff for you.