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Welcome
Welcome to my archived blogs. I trust you have an interesting time reading some of my stories of which some of them are about the great Biblical Story. Mon Jan 19, 2004 09:35:25 AM
Inward/Outward Mon Jan 05, 2004 12:55:32 PM
Some Thoughts on Church: Pre Information
First Century Visitors All too often we turn to the New Testament in search of the perfect model of “doing church.” There is no such “model” in the New Testament. We have been taught that we can simply turn to the pages of the New Testament and do a kind of “mirroring” of the ideas we see there as if the “first century” church was a “perfect church” and God has given us the exact plans for building churches today. This romanticized view of Scripture is detrimental to the ongoing health of the church and leads to endless arguments and conversations about “being a New Testament church.” There is room for all kinds of churches. It seems to me that what those in conversation about the church miss is its purpose. Its purpose is tied up in an understanding of the overarching story of God as presented in Scripture, not the pulling at random favorite passages to prove a point. Its purpose is to be the “newly created people of God” placed in the world so that God can redeem his world. We have made it about consumerism. We have made it about what we can get to meet our own personal needs instead of what we can conduit through us for the needs of others. Those who want to find solace in reproducing small churches usually use passages from 1 Corinthians to validate their claims. One must remember that the church at Corinth was a troubled church. Paul wrote two letters (possible 4 letters) to the Corinthian congregation to correct the problems that was occurring in their midst. To help understand the passages in 1 Corinthians 14 one must attempt to understand some of the historical setting that accompanies the book. Below is a small outline of history concerning Corinth. The Context of First Corinthians Historical Context The church at Corinth was the recipient. Corinth was a Grecian city on the isthmus that joins the Peloponnesus to the mainland of Greece. It is about forty-eight miles west of Athens. The Romans destroyed the ancient city of Corinth in 146 B.C. The Corinth mentioned in the New Testament was quite a new city having been rebuilt about a century afterwards and populated by a colony of freedmen from Rome. It was the seat of government for Southern Greece or Achaia (Acts 18.12-16) for Rome. It was noted for its wealth, luxurious, and immoral behavior. Even a word was coined to speak about the citizens of Corinth: Corinthianized. It had a large mixed population of Romans, Greeks, and Jews. When Paul first visited the city (A.D. 51 or 52), Gallio, the brother of Seneca, was proconsul. Here Paul resided for eighteen months (18.1-18). At Corinth he first became acquainted with Aquila and Priscilla and soon after his departure Apollos came to Corinth from Ephesus. The Book of Acts provides us with a summary that helps update the writing of 1 Corinthians. Paul departed from Corinth in the fall of A.D. 51 and returned to Antioch traveling through Ephesus where he left Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18.26). After some time in Antioch he returned to Ephesus visiting Galatia and Phrygia. He arrived in Ephesus toward the end of A.D. 52. Luke records that Paul spent about two years in Ephesus (Acts 19.1-10; 21-22). Paul wrote to the Corinthians this second time (1 Corinthians) sometime during A.D. 54. The main purpose of the book was to answer questions about how to deal with specific church problems which were delivered to him by Chloe’s household during their visit (1 Cor. 1.11) and by word of mouth and in a letter carried by Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus (1 Cor. 16.17). Textural Context Second, Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus (16.17) arrive with a letter asking more questions of Paul. The answers to the questions begin at 7.1. However, three additional problems must have surfaced after the letter had been written and before these three left for Ephesus to find Paul. The three problems are addressed in the second segment of Corinthians in chapters 5-6. They are a specific case of immorality (5.1-13); lawsuits (6.1-11); and immorality in general (6.12-20). The final segment comprises the answers to the letter that was written and answers to questions about marriage (7.1-40); and food (8.1-11.1a). Next, there were problems centering around public worship which included the veiling of women (11.1b-15); the Lord’s supper (11.17-34); spiritual gifts (12.1-14.40); the resurrection (15.1-58); collections (16.14); and finally Apollos (16.12). This overview gives the flow of the author’s material as he answered the many questions that the Corinthian church had. It is in the final section of 1 Corinthians that the often-used passage of 1 Corinthian 14.26-34 is found. This passage is also in a subsection (1 Corinthians 11.17-14.40). The general theme of this subsection is “when the church comes together.” If Paul thinks of “when the church comes together” that may imply that Paul believed that the church was something that in our language we may call a 24/7/365 occurrence and on occasion came together. The 1 Corinthian 14.26-35 passage has often been referred to as “the believer’s meeting.” Of course, nothing in the context suggests this. The problem that Paul was addressing in this larger section was the Gracelets of the Spirit. Oscar Cullmann, a noted German scholar, suggests that these meetings were the foundation of all worship life in the Christian community. Paul provided his readers a look into one of these smaller meetings that occurred in Corinth. He spoke about the diversity within the meeting. The lists of things that occurred are to be understood as any other list in the New Testament, that is, they are not complete or absolute. In the list of 1 Corinthians 14.26-35 we have the following recorded:
This meeting was focused (1 Cor. 11.17-21). The focus was around the Lord’s Table. When the community came together this celebration called them to unity. Unity of purpose and direction while at the same time having a diversity of gifts. Again, Oscar Cullmann has said that in the earliest times an assembly of the congregation without the celebration of the Lord’s Supper was unthinkable. This focus was a divine attempt to keep before the church the essential basis from which the life of the Body proceeds, Jesus. This meeting was open and spontaneous. There was a freedom for the Spirit to send his Gifts as God initiated them for use (1 Cor. 14.26). The liberty to do so allowed for a multiplicity of ministry with an orderly informality. It was not a time for the profitless ramblings of anyone who needed to get something off his or her chest. We should not think that what is sometimes called an open meeting means that the saints are at the mercy of an unprofitable talker who thinks he or she has something to say, and would like to inflict themselves upon the others. An open meeting is not a meeting open to man. It is a meeting that is open to the Holy Spirit. This meeting was orderly. The text of 1 Corinthians suggests two things that we need to take to heart. First, let all things be done. Second, let all things be done in an orderly fashion. The purpose of this meeting was to build the community of believers to better fit in the Body of Christ so they can minister in their callings for the sake of the world. This kind of meetings is important to any church, but does not preclude any other kind of meeting. At best we can say that the Corinthian church had this kind of meeting, which may have been part of the cause for the writing of this section, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that all other churches that Paul started followed the same pattern or that was the only kind of service that the Corinthian church had. Paul gave other instructions of what to “do” when the church is together that is often being replaced today with some kind of “community conversation.” In order to get some grasp on these instructions we must take a whirlwind tour of the background of the church at Ephesus The Unfolding of the Ephesian Church Paul felt it necessary to go to Asia, even though the Holy Spirit forbade him to go there at the beginning of his Second Church Planting Trip. The dates of Paul’s trips are broad as defined by different New Testament scholars. Dr. F.F. Bruce suggested Paul’s ministry was as early as a.d. 49-50, and that he did not settle in Ephesus until the autumn of a.d. 52 where he stayed until the summer of a.d. 55. It would have been early summer in a.d. 52 that he experienced such a warm welcome and invitation from the synagogue at Ephesus. After the Spirit forbid him to go to Asia and Bithynia (Acts 16.6,7), Paul had a vision that is often dubbed “the Macedonian call.” In this vision a man from Macedonia asked Paul for help (Acts 16.9). At this point, it may be well to insert that Paul was probably very happy to receive this positive word from God for the ministry to which he had committed himself. In retracing his steps, he had not had what one might consider in this century a successful ministry. His conversion on the road to Damascus was a sudden jolt to Paul’s spiritual system and to his friends in Judaism. After three years of instruction from the Lord and some teaching in the synagogue in Damascus, he made his first post-conversion trip to Jerusalem, but not till after a close escape from Damascus (Acts 9.23; 2 Cor. 11.32). He had a brief stay in Jerusalem with the Jerusalem disciples showing some continued fear even after three years. Some of his old friends wanted to kill him, so he left Jerusalem and returned to Tarsus his home (Acts 9.26-30). It was almost ten years before Paul was heard from again. Barnabas, who continually lives up to his name (Acts 4.36), found Paul in Tarsus and brought him to Antioch to help him teach (Acts 11.25ff.). Barnabas and Paul make a famine relief trip from Antioch to Jerusalem and pick up John Mark (Acts 12.25). Acts 13 and 14 share with us the First Church Planting Trip in which Paul lost John Mark and is stoned and left for dead. Upon return from his First Church Planting Trip, he wrote a hot fiery letter to the churches in Galatia (Galatians). He had warned against false brothers who had followed Paul to the cities in Galatia and shared another kind of gospel (Gal. 1.6ff.). In Paul’s mind these teachers were trying to tear apart what he had planted. From Antioch in Syria he went to Jerusalem to defend his position on the matter that following the old boundary markers would not do. After a meeting of the minds in the church in Jerusalem, he and Barnabas are torn apart over John Mark. Paul took Silas and began his Second Church Planting Trip, picked up Timothy, and revisited the Galatian cites. Here, as we mentioned earlier, he is forbidden to go to Asia. Finally, back to the Macedonian call, something good must be going to happen. What could it be? To Philippi and Points Beyond Whatever his thoughts may have been, he was still to face more hostility in Corinth. The Lord had to speak to him again and encourage him (Acts 18.9). Finally, he was allowed to stay for about eighteen months while he planted a church in Corinth. One might draw a conclusion at this point: all that Paul faced during the seventeen years and especially during the last three years before Ephesus sharpened his vision on planting churches and helped him to withstand the hostility he was to receive at the hands of the Ephesians. The first account that we have of Paul stepping on Ephesian soil is given to us by Luke in Acts 18.19. After leaving Corinth with Priscilla and Aquila, “they” went to Ephesus. Paul left them there for further ministry in Ephesus. “I will return to you.... God willing...” was his parting words to Priscilla and Aquila. This was not a mere phrase from the mouth of Paul, but a strong suggestion that his goings and comings were subject to God’s will. God initiated his goings and comings, not Paul (ref. Acts 16.6ff.).
Back to Antioch
We will use these four segments to view Paul’s ministry to the Ephesians. Paul’s Encounter with the Twelve Disciples (Acts 19.1-7) There is a considerable amount of disagreement about the “disciples” at Ephesus which are mentioned in Acts 19.1. James D.G. Dunn suggests that this is a unique use of the Greek word mathetai. He believes that because the definite article is not used before the word, that Christian can not be its meaning in this passage. Christian is the normal meaning of the word when the definite article is used. For Dunn these “disciples” were not believers. These disciples had no relationship with the church at Ephesus. One may ask at this point if there was already a church at Ephesus, since the traditional view is that Paul planted the church with the “twelve” disciples mentioned in 19.1. I believe that Scripture clearly states that Priscilla and Aquila planted the church when Paul left them behind in Ephesus. In Acts 18.24-28 we have a clear demonstration of this. The words (hoi adelphoi) the brothers give a strong indication that there was a Christian congregation already at Ephesus when Paul arrived. The question that Paul asked these disciples is somewhat unusual. From his question arise the following questions: Where did these disciples receive their teaching concerning Christ? If they received their teaching from Apollos, why didn’t he, Priscilla, or Aquila straighten them out as Priscilla and Aquila had straightened Apollos out? Why were they baptized and Apollos not baptized? There is no mention of the baptism of Apollos in Acts. Dunn believes that Apollos was not rebaptized because he already possessed the Spirit (18.25) whereas, the “twelve” did not. What may be suggested by this information is that in the Merranean world, there were several versions of the gospel being proclaimed. These other versions did not bear the approval of the Jerusalem Church. We discover that when Paul, or one of his disciples, came in contact with one of these perversions of the Gospel, they quickly brought the ones who held them into conformity which Paul and the Jerusalem church held in common (1 Cor. 15.11). The Teaching Meeting Paul Teaching in the Hall of Tyrannus (Acts 19.8-10)
The message that Paul delivered at each place he stopped is summarized by Luke in Acts 13. Paul divided his discourses to the synagogues into two parts.
When he arrived at Ephesus, he received a warm welcome. There were at least fourteen persons within the church at Ephesus (Acts 18.19; 19.7), although there could have been more (Acts 18.27). Paul spent three months debating with the Jews about the Kingdom of God (19.8). When his efforts failed to reach his kinsman, he withdrew to the Hall of Tyrannus. This hall was available to him for instruction. This was not something new for Paul. He had used other buildings for meetings—the most notable was in Corinth where he moved next door to the synagogue and set up church. One must realize that “next door” was only a wall away. The Hall of Tyrannus is only mentioned here in Scripture. There are four possibilities as to the usage of the hall.
The last of the four options is usually favored. The Western text indicates that Paul had use of the building between 11 AM and 4 PM daily. The custom of the area was to work in the cooler part of the day—from dawn to 11 AM and then take a respite during the afternoon during the hotter part of the day. Luke instructs us that Paul taught for a period of two years (Acts 19.10). The result: all of the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. It was during this time that the churches which we read about in Revelation 2-3 came into existence. Paul was contacted by some of his followers from the Corinthian church during this stay in Ephesus and the result was the writing of First Corinthians. Later in the story of the New Testament, Paul sent Timothy back as his personal emissary to the Church at Corinth. Remember, Paul had taught there for at least two years, five hours a day. In 1 Timothy, Paul instructs that when the church is gathered that Timothy should Read the Scripture, Teach the Scripture, and Preach the Scripture (1 Tim. 4.13). Paul most likely wrote 1 Timothy around A.D. 63, some eight years after his stay in Ephesus and his concern for Timothy is to make sure that the congregations in Ephesus are being taught. The Scripture that Paul refers to is the Old Testament. As a moment of reflection, it is interesting to note that the New Testament church had only the Old Testament Scripture to tell them how to “do church,” They had to improvise from the Old Testament scriptures. Paul’s exhortation to Tim was to Read, Teach, and Exhort. He was to read the Scripture publicly. He was to provide instruction about the meaning of the text. Some suggest that the meaning of the text shared was what was publicly read. And finally, he was to exhort or encourage the hearers of the read and explained word to practice it in the life of the community. The church needs to be taught the whole story of God, not just a group of propositions to which proof text are applied out of context. In order to do this some one has to spend time and be trained to grasp what he or she is to teach. If you think the present church with its institutionalization and CEOmanship is not healthy, wait till you see a generation of untrained folks coming out of small house churches who have the disease of “conversationalitus” It won’t be a pretty sight. Oh yea, by the way. Those of you in the small/organic/house church, remember that those in the organized/institutional/CEO church are not your enemy. And those of you in the organized/institutional/CEO church should remember that those in the small/organic/house church are not your enemy. We all have a common enemy. His focus is for you to focus on which kind of church model is correct and thereby cause division among sisters and brothers. Beware! Don’t fall into his trap. Mon Dec 08, 2003 11:53:15 PM
Wed Nov 05, 2003 10:50:46 AM
I wrote this in response to a post on cynicalness in my DMin course. I thought I would pass it along. A litany of cynicalness! I like it. Bless you my brother May the Lord bless and cynicalize you Mike, maybe you could begin your post as follows: 1. Mike, a Cynicalist, to my trusting brothers 2. and sister in LEC2 cohort. May mercy, peace, and cynicalism 3. be yours in abundance. I wanted to write to you with 4. great care about the emerging church, but I found 5. it necessary, at least for the moment, to be 6. cynical. It has been reported to me that some of you, the brothers I think, have been engaging in a "verbal whizzing contest." I take by this that you are not happy 7. in the church in the duties that the Spirit has given you and you are "whizzing" out other 8. territory that doth not belongeth to you. 9. I trust that when the smoke clears that you will have settled your feud about "cigar/cigarette sections" within the emerging 10. church and that you are engaging in such uncomely behavior 11. as "one smoker telling another smoker where to find cigs" while believing that this is your incarnational ministry. Also reported is that 12. no one can make an "observation" or ask a "question" lest they find themselves infested by the demon of 13. judgment and legalism. Could this be because you have used Citation one to many times and now decided that your conversation is more important and 14. have delegated the whole Bible as a footnote in your meetings. When you come please 15. bring me a new keyboard. Lightnin' has struck this one two times and it has given up the ghost. Lest you get 16. confused about which "ghost" I am referring, it is not the "holy" one but the computer one. [Writer's Comment: I am writing the above not only for your sake but so that those 17. who may read this nearly 2000 years from now will not spend endless wasted time trying to understand what the "author's" intent really was!] Now may the God of peace and 18. mercy continue to bless you and may your litany of cynicalness grow abundantly. BTW readers: I have inserted verses for the ease of reading. Meditation Verse for Today: 7. in the church in the duties that the Spirit has given you and you are "whizzing" out other Brief Meditations for the Day
I wish I were as cynical as you Mike. ;-) Winn Sat Oct 25, 2003 12:08:44 PM
Two Days with Eugene and Jan Peterson Eugene and Jan Peterson, what kind and gracious people. I had
the privilege of spending two evenings in their home in Montana this last week.
I flew to Boise from Seattle and met up with
Todd Hunter,
Eric Keck, and
Mark Priddy and we drove through
the mountains of Idaho to Montana.
The last morning he suggested that followers of Jesus should be aggressive in their attentiveness to God and apathetic to what others say about their attentiveness. Aggressive attentiveness and apathy should be seen as spiritual disciplines.
From The Message: This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. +++ May the peace of God be richly yours as you live in harmony as God's renewed humanity in the midst of his world for her sake. +++ Fri Sep 05, 2003 02:05:46 PM
I spent most of a week in Portland at the first DMin Advance and then drove to Boise to set in on one day of a two-day seminar with Dallas Willard sponsored by Allelon. I arrived at the campus of George Fox Evangelical Seminary to a flashing light on my dashboard telling me to get the engine serviced soon. When I turned the car off it would not restart. "Soon" meant RIGHT THEN. Sheila Bartlett form GFES helped me find a "shop" to work on my car the next morning. When I picked the car up on Wednesday afternoon, my wallet cried, not to mention that I shed a few tears also. Our fist meeting of the DMin cohort was Monday evening. Then
bright and early Tuesday morning we met for a class to help us become
acquainted with electronic research using the George Fox library. There was
some confusion because there was not a "clear" orientation for all the cohort
students. Wednesday afternoon we were assigned our facility advisors and met
with them briefly before we were off to a retreat center to spend time with
Len Sweet (Wed night through Friday
Morning).
Friday afternoon I drove from Portland to Boise (8 hours) to be
with the Allelon Boyz (Pictured: Kevin
Rains; Mark Priddy;
Eric Keck
Left Boise on Sunday for another 8-hour drive back home to Seattle. I spent many of those hours with NT Wright via tape. It made the time not seem so long. Well, enough travel itinerary. My family (Donna, Jason, and Jeramie Joy) was glad for my return home as much as I was glad to be home. This week has been somewhat fuzzy trying to get adjusted to a new schedule that includes all the work for the DMin program. But it is a breath of fresh air. I will keep those reading this blog updated as it progresses. Sun Aug 24, 2003 10:29:57 PM
Today is my 61st Birthday and I am on the eve of a new part of the journey. Tomorrow evening I begin the DMin program at George Fox Evangelical Seminary. It should be exciting. This week I had my annual heart appointment to take an echo and stress test. I was able with a lot of "huffin' and puffin' to walk for 8 minutes and 47 seconds which the doctor told me was in the 100% range for men my age. I am glad that event is over for another year. Now to get regular on a walking program. I had breakfast with family and some friends (Chris and Yvonne Todd) this morning at Ruby's Dinner. Chris asked me how it felt to be 61. I told him that it felt just the same as 60 seeing I was only one day into that year. This evening my son Jason and daughter took me out to Outback for a birthday meal (of course, Donna was there, in case you were wondering. I love my family. They are such great people. I am truly blessed. I am up for meeting 19 or 20 other folks who are beginning the DMin journey tomorrow evening. I trust that I will have many new friends as we learn about each other and the emerging church. Tue Aug 05, 2003 07:50:54 PM
For those of you who do not know, I was accepted into the DMin. program at George Fox University, beginning the end of August. On August 24, 2003, I will turn 61 years old. The next day, I will begin work on my second doctoral program. If my name should cross your mind in the coming months, pause a brief moment and send a personal note for me to the Creator of the Universe. He's always listening. Here is another thought from A is for Abductive: The Language of the Emerging Church under the following caption. C is For Culture. Modern Western Christians tend to forget that they are living an enculturated gospel; their familiarity with modern Western cultures makes it invisible to them. When people say, “I don’t want to be a modern Christian or a postmodern Christian, I just want to be a biblical Christian,” they are expressing a perhaps admirable ideal that is, nevertheless, naïve and therefore dangerous. God’s people across the storyline of Scripture lived, worshiped, trusted, and obeyed in many cultural settings from hunter-gatherer tribes to nomadic pastoral patriarchies, to tribal confederations, to monarchies, to refugee subcultures, to provisional cultures as exiles and slaves, and so on. To be biblical means to live in a culture including modern or postmodern, and seek to be an agent of Jesus Christ there. Of course, to be Christ’s agents in a culture will make us in many ways countercultural. But even so, we are still living out an interpretation of the gospel, as Newbigin said, in “some cultural form.” Those ministering in postmodern context need a heightened sensitivity to issues of gospel and culture (p. 84). Fri Jul 25, 2003 07:24:51 PM
My reading list is already to large, but I added another book to it. It is the collaborative effort of Leonard Sweet, Brian McLaren, and Jerry Haselmayer and titled A is for Abductive: The Language of the Emerging Church. There are small to large articles listed in alphabetical order beginning with "A is for Abductive." I found the following article interesting: C is For Community An overused word in recent Christian vocabulary (See Love.) (Also see the EPICivities.) To experience "community," see almost anything but Community (p. 69). For those of you who don't know I have applied for another doctoral program (D.Min in Leadership in the Emerging Culture [with Leonard I. Sweet]) at George Fox University, in Portland, OR. I am still awaiting a final interview toward acceptance. The program starts on the day after my birthday (August 24: Birthday and August 25: Program Start and August 26: Wedding Anniversary), just in case you were wondering. Sat Jul 19, 2003 07:52:58 PM
When Jesus chose his disciples (the team of leaders??), he chose those who were different than he was and different from each other. Wow! What a concept. In today's leadership economy, folks often try to surround themselves with those that are like them, people who often share common interest. Such was not the case with Jesus. Matthew was a tax collector, while Simon the Zealot was opposed to having tax collectors of any sort. I often think that when he sent them out two by two, Matthew and Simon were paired up. Having complete agreement was not a high value to Jesus. Years ago, Dr. Russ Spittler taught me about being a “critical loyalist.” I have tried to abide by that discipline over the years. What Russ didn’t tell me was how much that “discipline” in one’s life might not often be highly valued by others. In time I discovered that everyone needed to be a “critical loyalist.” This takes the pressure off not being valued by others. It is only when one of several is a “critical loyalist” and the others are not that the value of being a “critical loyalist” seems to be diminished. Recently while reading an interview of Len Sweet, I ran across the same idea expressed with the oxymoron: “harmonious difference.” I like that phrase also. But, the above still applies. Why not wear the hat of a “critical loyalist” and get everyone around you to also wear the hat of a “critical loyalist” also? Make “harmonious difference” or “critical loyalty” a discipline on the journey you are taking. You might discover yourself becoming “spiritful.” Fri Jul 04, 2003 05:00:50 PM
On July 4th 1991, my family and I arrived in Seattle, WA from Denver, CO. I often wonder where I might have been if I had chosen just one road taken on the journey that was different than the road chosen. This is a reflection that I often have on special occasions wandering if that occasion would have ever occurred if I had made a different choice before. During this past week we spent an evening with some friends, Bob and Mary Schaal, who we met here in Seattle (they now live in Arizona). I traced with them their involvement that led me to met the Priddymiester and the Keckster. They brought Mark Strom who pastors a Vineyard in Marysville, WA to a weekend class that I was teaching and introduced us and we begin our relationship. In March of '99 (just after my open heart surgery) Mark called and asked if I would have breakfast with him and a friend of his from Boise. The little cafe had wonderful bacon as I recall. At breakfast Strom introduced me to the Priddymiester and the introductions go on. I met Toddly several lives ago in Anaheim, CA as a young church planter. He's been around this church planting stuff for a lot of years. I was at the Anaheim Vineyard because I made a choice to attend the first MC510 (Signs, Wonders, and Church Growth) course at Fuller Seminary). Sometimes it is helpful to recite some of the journey that one is on and remember the friends we meet along the way. Thu Jul 03, 2003 10:23:05 AM
Most likely we have all made a "To Do" list with item that we believed needed to be accomplished. What about a "NOT To Do" list of things we are committed "NOT" to do? Here's the beginning of mine:
Well, it's a start! Sun Jun 29, 2003 09:24:14 AM
If you sign up before August 31, 2003 most telemarketers must stop calling or you may file a complaint, finally, a quiet meal with only the chatter of my family and not the endless ring and chatter of those folks with auto dialers. Our short week vacation was fun. I played golf with my son Jason two times, once in Boise, ID and the other in Yakima, WA. I was consistant. Because I hit way more strokes than one should, my game actually cost less per stroke than Jason's. Yesterday, June 28, 2003, was Jason's 30th birthday. He wanted to eat a steak at Ruth's Chris Steak House. I forgot how much a corn fed cow cost!!! My wallet was a little thinner, make that a lot thinner, after the meal. Everything was on Al's Cart or is that a la carte. Jason is a great son, I am privileged to be his friend and father. The trip was fun. Donna and Jeramie Joy enjoyed the pools and hot tubs while Jason and I played golf. Being with the allelon girlz and boyz in Bosie was great fun. Keck usually eats more than any one human should, but he was good on this occassion and left some food on the table for others. It's always great to see Beth, who is the calming force for the Keckster, and fun to be around. Priddy was streaching his brain and had a really "cool" outline of Exodus (that's in the Old Testament for Bible newbies) for his Regent course. Jeanette is sporting a new car and she looks so tiny inside it. The Toddlimiester was as suave as ever, left him watering plants at he and Debbie's (HunterWoman) new home. Debbie was on "good behavior." Tood was proud of her. We had a few moments with Michael Bischof from SoCal who was visiting the allelon boyz and girlz. Sat Jun 21, 2003 07:52:49 AM
It's Saturday morning and I am off for a short week vacation with my family. I am going to Boise, ID. Did I say Boise? Wait a minute, ......... I am checking with that stuff between my ears, wait a minute........ yep, that's right, Boise. What's up with that? Will visit the Allelon Boyz and Girlz. Golf two days one in ID and one in WA with my son Jason. Swim a little, soak a little, watch some movies, and of course, read a little of Wright. What's a vacation without Wright? Just a minute....... nope there is nothing Wrong with Wight on vacation! Sometimes I wonder how Right Wright is. Well I out of here. Have a good week. Remember, all of us as the people of God are ministers (even when one is on vacation). So put your hand to what God places on your path this week and do it for his glory. Don't be a dualist now and separate work life, play life, relaxation life, frustration life, etc., from ministry life. Nah! not cool. So watch for God at work in your daily life and put your hand to what his hand is already doing. The NikeMan would say. "Just Do It!" Wait a minute..... yep, that's it for now, a valediction. Wed May 28, 2003 08:26:46 PM
Today while visiting a mall I took a moment to step into the "Christian Bookstore." The store is about one-third books and two-thirds "Jesus Junk." I guess to be authentic it should be called the "Christian Book and Jesus Junk Store." In the book that I mention below there are two bookstores called "Christian Supply." If you are a pastor I guess your can go there when you supply of Christians is running out and pick up some more. When I decided to leave, I stopped and picked my very own copy of the newest and latest "Christian Business Directory." The executive director thought it keen to say that this book had been published as a resource "for you to know where the Christians are in the marketplace and how you can find them." And that by looking at the book you would get a "complete picture of the whole body of Christ working together for the sake of the Gospel." Just what we need another Christian ghetto. Maybe we should put out an "UnChristian Yellow Pages" that doesn't allow Christians to advertise therein so we can know who the real target of the church is. I had to force my finger from entering my throat. My left hand was overworked from holding on to my right hand. I wasn't even Biblical (whoa, did I really say that?) because in this case my left hand knew exactly what my right hand was doing. The most fun was in the list of churches that managed to get listed in the directory. My son and I had a great time reading them. He gave me some of the ideas below. We started out with the Anglicans but only one made the cut. Next came the Assembly of God (if only all their assemblies were of God). The Baptist were next: General Baptist Conference; Baptist American; Baptist Conservative; Baptist Fundamental Independent (there was only one of those); Baptist General; Baptist General Conference; Baptist Independent (I guess they don’t associate with the other Baptist); Baptist Reformed (this could only mean that all the other Baptist before were un-reformed); Baptist Regular (what? all the others must have been irregular); Baptist Southern (I guess if we can have Southern Fried Chicken in the Northwest we can have a brand of Baptist that are southern). Wow, I made it through the Baptist. Then there was Bible Missionary (you must own a Bible to be missionary?). Next was Christian (I concluded that none of the other churches were Christian because this group was listed separately). Then came the Christian & Missionary Alliance; Christian Disciples of Christ (since disciples of Christ should be Christian can you have an unChristinan Disciples of Christ) and Christian Reformed (I seem to recall, yes there it is right above, something called the Christian Church; I concluded that that group must really be the unreformed Christians). Next listed was the Church of Christ and the next one really was funny to me, it was the Christ of Christ United, but it was listed separate from the Church of Christ (can that really be?). We moved on to the Church of God (wow! God finally made it into the name) and the Church of God Anderson IN and the Church of God Cleveland TN (they are surely a long way from home on Sundays). Then, we have the Church of God in Christ (I wondered why the Holy Spirit didn’t make the cut). Next, we have the listing called Community (one could possibly conclude that none of the other churches listed were communities). Next, the Covenant and Evangelical Covenant were listed (I guess the former is not really an Evangelical church). Now in the “Es” we have the Evangelical Free (Free from what I thought). The next category was only one church: Family Fellowship (does that mean that you are only family if you attend there?). We then have the Fellowship of Christian Association (do they really only fellowship with other Christians, no wonder the world is going to hell in a hand basket). Then we have the Foursquare Gospel (I have always considered that a really funny name, it always makes me think that the gospel is really square. Could you have a three or two square gospel?). Next were the Friends (I surmised that all the other churches probably didn’t have any friends because they were all in this place). The next one listed was Full Gospel (no part gospels will do and I guess that Paul might not fit there either). As if Full Gospel was not enough we have the Full Gospel Pentecostal (a kinda of Gospel and Acts thingy?). I thought we had left the Baptist (how many more can there be?) when I encountered the Fundamental Independent Baptist (only one, I guess that’s why they are independent, I guess we could call them the FIBs for short). Then we have the General Assembly of Regular Baptist (can you be a Regular Baptist and not be a part of the General Assembly?). Next was the Independent (of course they are listed independent of all of the other churches as their name implies). But wait, we also have the Independent Fundamental Christian Association (an association of one, how strange). Then we have the Inter-Denominational churches (they can’t figure who they are a part of so they are listed as being in the middle until they grow up and discover which denomination they side with). Next were the Lutherans; the Lutheran (ELCA) [only those inside would know what ELCA would stand for]; and the Lutheran Missouri Synod (only one, there must be more in the home state of Missouri, don't you think?). Then we have the Mennonite Bretheran (an all male church?); Messianic (are they the really anointed ones), and Methodist Free (maybe you can go to this church and the Evangelical Free church and it doesn’t cost anything). Next listed: Methodist United (but as above these United Methodist are listed separately). Then Methodist of North American was listed (I wondered if they were in South America if they would still call themselves the Methodist of North America, probably so!). Just when I thought it was safe and there were no more Baptist, up popped the Missionary Baptist (they must not be very missionary because there was only one of them listed). The next category was Missionary Church (I guess these folks decided not to be Baptist); and then the Nazarenes (I didn't get how a group of natives from Nazareth would have a church in the Northwest). It was there on the page Non-Denominational Bible churches and then Non-Denominational churches (I guess that you don’t have to have a Bible to get into the second kind). I couldn’t believe my eyes: North American Baptist (how many more of these brothers and sisters are there?). The Open Bible churches were next (do you think that they positioned themselves this way because the Bible is not opened in so many other churches?). The next listed group was Pentecostal (I guess they don’t consider the Assembly of God or Foursquare their Pentecostal brothers and sisters!). Right behind them and differentiated from them was the Pentecostal/Full Gospel (guess the other group only has part of the Gospel). The Presbyterian, Presbyterian Church USA and the Presbyterian Orthodox were next (the first group must be operating in the USA without permission while the last group suggest that neither of the other Presbyterians are orthodox). Next were the Salvation Army (do you have to enlist to go here?) and the Seventh Day Adventist (could you be a Seventh Day Adventist and subvert their dominate paradigm and go to their church on Friday or maybe Sunday. (I guess that would make you a Sixth Day Adventist or a First Day Adventist). Finally, the United Methodist (again united but listed separately, what are they thinking?). Well that was the end of the list and not to soon for me. However, don't think that because your church is not listed above that it’s name or group is any better off. You probably can't do any worse! Just remember, the church names of today will be the fodder for twit tomorrow. I'm glad God has a sense of humor about all this name stuff. If he doesn't we are in some deep stuff! So what's in a name? Sometimes something and sometimes nutun'! Thu May 15, 2003 11:08:02 PM
Bummer! The Lakers are gone! My daughter is not to happy about it. That's an understatement! Next year starts tonight. At least Sacramento is still in the hunt. I just returned from Boise where I had a delightful two days working with the Toddlimiester and the Keckster. Keck has lost some weight. Todd was eating scones! Cinnamon sugar ones at that. We talked about how we could equip God's people theologically since every member of the body of Christ is a minister. We want to enable (in a positive way) God's people to think and reflect theologically so that the Story becomes the center of their thinking. We all to often take and anit-intellectual approach to being Christian and reading the text that God has given us thinking that we only need the Spirit to be theologically sound (funny I thought there were two others in the Trinity). We have learned to read the text of Scripture "from in front of it" making us the masters of what it says thus living "over the text" with our subjective meaning and then blame our meaning on the Spirit. We all read the text from "in front," but we need to have the added dimension of reading the text from "behind" as well, listening within its historical context to what God was saying to his people so we can hear what he is saying to us now. Then we can truly live "under" the text, where the text has authority over us instead of us having authority over it. As we learn to read from "in front" and "behind" the text and live "under" the text we find our thinking and acting processes becoming more in line with the Story that we should be living in. "Lord, help us to learn to read the text with more than just a devotional eye so that in the final analysis the text reads us and we are changed into the people that you have made us to be and that we then live our lives pointed toward the world so that the world can see how truly gracious you are and turn to embrace you. May it be so!" Sat May 10, 2003 08:59:50 AM
The Lakers are now 1-2. Life in the Griffin house is a little smoother this morning. I have hope for tomorrow. By the way, I am not really a Laker's fan, only during this period of the play offs for the sake of my daughter, Jeramie Joy. I am a Sacramento Kings fan during when they play and it is a wonder that we get through the night with LA and Sacramento plays each other. Bummer for Chris Webber! It's Saturday, I'm taking my wife to breakfast and then cleaning the house for her "Mother's Day" present. Gotta go! Fri May 09, 2003 12:22:22 PM
The Lakers are in a hole (0-2). Life is not all that cheery around the Griffin household. I hope for my daughter's sake, and for mine as well, that the Lakers "rock" on the court in LA tonight. I found the following document today while sorting some of my folders on my computer. The conversation was with a pastor of a Vineyard church who sought me out after reading some of the material I had written on Spiritual Gift.
Tue Apr 29, 2003 07:22:42 AM
I have a "differently-abled" daughter (Jeramie Joy) who loves the L.A. Lakers. So I changed my colors (above, to the left side, and the type ) to reflect their colors and honor my daughter. She is all caught up in the playoffs. Life is grand when they win, a little less so when they do not win. When the game is on TV, she dresses for the game with here "Kobe" jersey. Our TV is in the basement (split-level) but you can hear her anywhere in the house when she is cheering or giving the players directions (coaching). It's fun to watch her enjoy life. She knows that she is "differently-abled" and often ask God (everyday I think) to heal her. Such persistence! She is a precious gift from God to our family. There is a playoff game tonight. I guess I better get my "game face" on. Mon Apr 21, 2003 07:21:37 AM
In the last few months we have heard a lot about the concept of "regime change" in the political arena. Regime change is what the new King's mission is all about. Jesus is out to change the world and the church is his vehicle. The Kingdom of God has invaded this present evil age the words and works of Jesus and continues to invade this present evil age in the words and works of the church. What do our words sound like and our works look like to those in the old regime? Over the weekend, I heard of two "new churches" starting, one with a new focus and the other without a focus. I ask the news carrier what the “mission” of each of these groups was. He only knew that they had a "different focus." "What different focus?" I asked. Their focus was different than the sending church in the arena of what they did at their "meeting/event." "Wrong focus," I thought. Where is the invasion of this present evil age? Where is the passion to bring the proclamation that Jesus is Lord, and "church focus" is not? Endless time, endless energy, and endless money spent on finding a new "focus" but no mention of regime change. What's up with that? I suggested that he return to the newly "focused/unfocused" groups and share with them that their mission was "regime change" not how they could do things differently when "they got together once a week." Mon Apr 07, 2003 01:51:57 PM
Some Musings on Spiritual Disciplines As a biblical thinker I must admit that I have some problems with what seems to me like a list of practices or disciplines that must be accomplished in order to be an authentic believer. A new kind of "pull yourself up by your spiritual boot straps" or "how to become more like Christ with ten easy disciplines." This appears to me to be a new set of "boundary markers." I am not against moving toward Christian maturity by putting into practices certain disciplines. What I think should be the focus is practices that are clearly mandated in Scripture as the priority then other "disciplines" that may be proposed. (There is no agreement on what a list of spiritual disciplines should be). We use the word "spiritual" as an adjective to specify what kind of disciplines one is speaking about. The term "spiritual" is not used in this way in the New Testament. Rather spirituality is defined in terms of the Spirit. A person is spiritual to the degree that he or she lives in and walks by the Spirit within a community of faith. I believe that Biblical practices, those that we are admonished in Scripture to follow, will form people in a way of life. Our churches have been lax in providing such instruction for its community because our culture holds a deep-seated belief in the freely choosing, autonomous individual who out of rational self-interest forms his or her own way of life. Spiritual disciplines seem to lean heavenly on individualism in the sense of gaining some "inner" strength that makes the outward person stronger. The conduct of a Christian is not the result of simply an effort to become better. Rather, by incorporation into the Body of Christ, our individual growth takes shape. It seems that God's intention is that Christian behavior is to be reinforced and upheld by the friendship, company, teaching, counseling, and loving criticism of other Christians (by alleloning). To try to be an individual working on becoming spiritual is not a sign of becoming truly human, but is a sign that the old life of bondage still dominates. Paul has argued in Colossians that the Colossians were free to follow Jesus. Jesus had defeated the principalities and powers to deliver freedom to his people. In Colossians chapter 3 Paul provides a refreshing program of living for Jesus. The prohibitive list is twofold: the abuse of sex and speech. The new life has no more sexual immorality, no anger or violence. However, there is a catch, trying to stop the old lifestyle without recognizing that the old powers have been defeated only brings failure. Living the "new life" stands squarely and firmly on the work of Jesus in his life. The reality of living between the times is played out in this and other like passages. Put to Death (3.5-6) Paul's imagery moved from death and life to putting clothes on and off. Put to death . . . whatever belongs to your earthly nature. The Greek tense in this command suggests a decisive action, as if Paul said, "Mortify it! Do it now! Do it resolutely!" The list of evil activities flowing from man's earthly nature includes
Rid Yourselves (3.7-9) Though the Colossian Christians used to walk live in these evil ways, before they came to know Christ, Paul commanded that they do so no more. Now you must rid yourselves of all such things. The word "rid" (apothesthe) means "to put off" like a suit of clothes. In its ethical use here it means "throw it off like a dirty shirt. Repulsive habits--anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language--do not fit or suit the community of faith. They are unbecoming to believers (cf. Eph. 4.17, 31).
Put on New Humanity (3.12-17) Because of their new lives in Christ all believers are called on to clothe themselves in virtue, letting Christ's peace rule them. His Word should dwell in them richly, and they should do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. Again Paul called on believers to take a decisive action: Clothe yourselves (endysasthe). We must remember when we read these passages that the "you" is plural. Paul did not have the individual in mind first and foremost, he had the community in mind. Again, it is fair to say that God's intent is for us to be formed in his image within a community where our individuality can truely become all it was meant to become. Because they have "put on (endysamenoi) the new self" (v. 10), they should live accordingly, with appropriate attributes and attitudes. Paul listed the abuses of sex and speech and now in contrast to them, Christians--as God's chosen people (cf. Rom. 8.33; Titus 1.1), holy ("separated to God"; cf. Col. 1.2) and dearly loved (cf. Rom. 5.8; 1 John 4.9-11, 19)--are to have several virtues. These include
We don't want to make spiritual disciplines another religion of this "present evil age" when in reality we live in the "age to come" becoming what God has created us to be as his people (community and individually) for the sake of the world. Fri Apr 04, 2003 02:15:13 PM
Saturday evening lecture dealt with the Roman Empire with a Q&A that followed. What struck me was that there was a "world class scholar" speaking everyday language and there were less than 200 people in attendance. Sunday morning was a bit disappointing. The pastor of the local church and Wright spoke together (actually Wright spoke less than 10 minutes). A congregation can hear their pastor on any given Sunday. It might have been a once in a lifetime for them to hear Tom present a sermon. Monday was dedicated to his new book The Resurrection and the Son of God. I defer to Eric for notes. His book is 740 pages and full of resource material. If you want a full treatment of the Resurrection, it is worth your time. After the main session, some of the allelon folks remained to enter into a dialog with Tom. We asked questions on the practical side and he answered within the praxis of the Anglican Church. He was somewhat interested in why we would want to start "new churches" instead of working within existing churches. Working out his (and others) theology in missional communities will be our life work. Thu Mar 27, 2003 11:20:46 PM
I'm excited. I get to travel to Boise this weekend to hear N.T. Wright. (Saturday Evening, Sunday Morning, and Monday Morning and Afternoon). I started reading his stuff a couple of years ago. It is facinating. I'll write a bit about the experience when I return. ...a repost from my first blog. Here is a prayer that I have abducted from N.T. Wright and edited. It is as easy as breathing in (first line) and breathing out (second line). Actually prayer should be as effortless as breathing. This prayer reminds me of that point. It is constructed to be prayed together as a community or as an individual. Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and
earth Lord Jesus Christ, Son of he Living
God Holy Spirit, Breath of the Living
God May it be so! Fri Mar 21, 2003 10:30:55 PM
If your are interested check out a study on Jude on my new "Almost Daily Bible Study." Fri Mar 14, 2003 06:47:41 PM
This morning I was reading Gordon Fee on exegesis and spirituality. Some of the lines of his text struck me, one in particular: "I want to insist that the ultimate aim of all true exegesis is spirituality." As I read that line (I was eating breakfast) I thought, My fear is that we work so hard on spirituality in a vacuum without any exegesis of scripture. How much time do we spend in exegesis of the text of scripture and then listen to it on its own terms? Exegesis is not an easy task. It is not a task that is done primarily for the sake of others. We should on a regular basis exegete scripture in the pursuit of spirituality. How much time do we spend reading scripture devotionally or pietistically? How much time do we spend reading "others" comments about spirituality and how to obtain it? Should we give equal time to exegete the text of scripture so as to hear the text in such a way that leads us as reader(s)/hearer(s) into conformity to God and his ways? Sun Mar 09, 2003 04:04:37 PM
I just returned from watching "Tears of the Sun." This is not a movie review, just a few thoughts from one "watcher." The story is about a group of "Navy Seals" sent to rescue an American doctor. The seals are like what the "church" might be like, dedicated to its mission but able to be flexible to expand its mission when needed. The church is in the middle of the fray able and willing to give their lives to rescue others. Even thought there is disagreement there is unity. If you have some time, go see it as a group and then have and open discussion about its implications for the church. Be ready for some emotional "ups and downs." Let me know what you think. Sat Mar 08, 2003 08:35:18 AM
I had a chance to meet with about eight of my family members (the younger set) on Tuesday night last. They ask me Bible related questions for about four hours. Their questions were interesting. Several were about why does the church preach a "church-centered" message. They wanted to know if Christianity was more than just going to church on Sunday morning and evening and Wednesday evening. The felt a great disconnect between church and the rest of their lives. These are kids who have grown up in a Pentecostal church that is very consumed with "going to church." During my sister's funeral, the pastor of the local church, where most of these kids have gone, made a point to tell them that being a Christian meant going to church on Sunday morning, evening and Wednesday evening. I spent some time with some of those who heard this trying to clear their minds. There may be an epidemic of youngers who are "fed" up with the traditional church and are looking for authentic relationship with Jesus and others. There are scores of folks who need to spend time deconstructing their church life. The world needs to be evangelized but so does the church. I hope to catch up with some of the blogs that I follow. Two weeks without a computer is a real change in lifestyle. I think that I was beginning to have the shakes from not being able to put my fingers on a keyboard. Alas, all is well now. I am back in familiar territory close to my wonderful wife and awesome kids. Home is Good!!! Mon Mar 03, 2003 11:54:30 AM
On Wednesday Feb. 26, 2003 at 8:44 am (EST) my sister slipped into her new body and met Jesus. It was effortless on her part, she took a long breath, her last here, and moved into the not yet. God had taken one of his faithful servants through death and out the other side to his presence. All the physical and emotional suffering of this life ceased as the Creator God pulled her through the portal in a place where she no longer would suffer the events of the fall. Her journey was complete. We, however, remain. Our journey continues. As much as we talk about being an authentic disciple of Jesus now, it is interesting how close one feels to the not yet as God claims one of his own. I am now busy working with her estate and trust before I return home to my family. If you should read this and think to pray, offer a prayer for a smooth return to Washington. Tue Feb 18, 2003 01:58:10 PM
Sunday night I watched MBFGW (the Greek Wedding…) on DVD with my family. It was really funny and my wife Donna kept making comments how the dad was something like her dad. When she and I started dating I was living in Hawaii as a member of the Air Force. I attended the church her father pastored where we met. Really we met on a previous occasion at a church dedication but that is a whole ‘nother story. When I took interest in Donna her dad did not approve. This disapproval went on for all of our dating time and he even tried to talk Donna out of getting married to me on the day of our wedding. Of course, the dad in MBFGW realized that even though different they were all “fruit.” We have been married 36.5 years and her dad is still somewhat reluctant to accept me. He sure has missed a lot over the years, because I am a wonderful person to hang out with. I also watched “Damaged Care,” the story of Dr. Linda Peeno who was a whistle-blower on the American Managed Health Care programs (HMOs). It was about helping people rather than running corporations. I saw a lot of parallels to the church. It was also about having a voice and speaking out, having a voice for those without voices. Pick it up (DVD) and take a peek. It was worth my time. Yesterday (Monday) was an interesting day. My sister, who has cancer, was in the hospital yet again to receive blood and platelets. The doctor suggested to the family that it was time to consider hospice care. He could not do anything more for her and nothing that he was presently doing was going to help. The family had to decide. Well there are three adult kids who have never been able to agree on anything. The same was true her. Last year my sister gave me power of attorney to make decisions on her behalf. So, this morning after having heard the latest news, her blood count continues to drop in spite of giving her a full set of platelets and two pints of whole blood, hospice care was approved by the doctor. It has been an emotional roller-coaster ride. I am leaving tonight on a red eye to the east coast, Orlando FL area hoping to arrive to see my sister. Of course no one knows how long God will provide her his gracelet of breath before she slips into her new body to be with him forever. But, the medical world said that once the treatment was removed (hospice care only treats for comfort not for cure) it would be only a matter of days. One cannot live without blood. So if any who read this would offer a prayer for me and my family (whom I am the only one going to Florida) who are staying behind, and my relatives in Florida it would be greatly appreciated. Even though I don’t know you guys and gals who may likely read this blog, I sense that some of you can share my pain and the pain of my relatives. I have reflected how God’s precious gift of life arrives in three stages. Pre-birth, physical birth to physical death: now; and the new body experience; not yet). Contrary to popular belief our “soul* (which we do not have) or “spirit” does not leave our body and wonder around awaiting the resurrection. Scripture seems to know nothing of an unembodied life. In our pre-birth existence we can make no choices, none. In our “now” existence we make choice after choice that reflect where we spend our “full not yet” existence. Although the not-yet has arrived in Jesus we live “now but not yet.” Actually the “not yet has invaded the present “now” of our lives as we are the conduits to God’s creation for his redemption of it. “Let the words of my mouth Sun Feb 16, 2003 10:56:38 AM
I finally watched Signs last night on DVD. I know, I’m a little late but I don’t always get to all the movies when they are on the big screen. The story of a man of faith who has lost his faith because of the unexplained and unexpected death of his wife is the backdrop of the story, as I understood it. Even though he had given up on his faith, other around him still saw him in his old role and never let him forget it (from the sheriff to the confessor in the drug store, and most of all his younger brother). The scene that some would have problems with is in the basement where the main character played by Mel Gibson tells God, after saying that he was not going to pray any more, that he hates him. This scene is understandable form a perspective of understanding that a part of the ancient people of God’s worship was to complain to God. Not so in the Western/American church where complaining is seen as a lack of faith. I often tell people “bad theology is a cruel taskmaster.” We are so anemic in our singing worship. We sing songs that are almost lullabies and often centered on what we want from God instead of what we really feel about God. Anger against God is not evil; it is healthy and demonstrates that in fact we take him seriously in our day-to-day life. If you’ve got a complaint, I’m sure that God would love to hear it. Signs articulated a story of God’s redemption through every day situations (even if the every day situations of the characters was an invasion from outer space). Wed Feb 12, 2003 02:51:04 PM
As I read Eric's blog this morning I posted a note back to him: I once heard someone say that having kids was like watching your heart walk outside your body. I think he was right! I have often heard that God love all his kids the same. I discovered that i loved my kids differently, especially my differently-abled daughter. I have often wondered if God loves his kids differently also, but alas, that's the problem in trying to understand the depths of God's love using a human model. I find now that my kids are older that i love them in a different way. They have truly become my best friends. Eric's blog caused some other reflections. I wonder why we are often fixed, not to say that Eric, on Father as "the" appropriate metaphor for God. Do we not believe that a child growing up in a single-parent home is denied somthing of value if the single parent is "father" or if the single parent is "mother?" Yet we sometimes persist to think of our relationship with God as Father as the preferable lens of thinking about God. Maybe we should think of God as "parent" (both father and mother) as well as many other metaphors. It occurs to me that God may not have wanted to be thought of by his creation by only one title. Scripture reflects many metaphors for God. Here are some samples: Abba (Mark 14.36; Rom. 8.15; Gal. 4.6) *God may I grow from being you child only to being your friend.* Sun Feb 09, 2003 06:15:11 AM
Good morning. I thought I would write a little about me this fine day. I was born in a little town in Central Florida some 60 years ago. My dad was a barber and my mom owned a clothing store. I had two brothers and one sister. My dad and mom have been dead for as many years as some of you who might read this have been born. One of my brothers is also dead. I was the youngest child being born after my brothers and sisters were grown so I grew up with no siblings in the household. They tell me that when I was born (at home in those days) that my mom asked if I were a boy or a girl (she wanted a girl). So when the doctor told her I was a boy she responded, “Throw him out the window.” My brothers always teased me that the doctor followed mom’s orders and I landed on my head. My first haircut even though my dad was a barber did not occur until I was about four-years-old (remember my mom wanted a girl). I had long curly hair. When my dad turned on his clippers, it scared the crap out of me. He clamped down on my head so hard as I tried to get out of the barber chair that he dislocated my neck. We had to drive about twelve miles with my mom holding my head in place to a chiropractor to get my neck relocated. I now see that lots of stuff was happening around my head area. Even though my hair is thinned, I still don’t like to get hair cuts. In my early days we (mom, dad and I) lived behind the clothing store that my mom owned, Dad’s barbershop was attached. My room was in the attic over the store. When I was around twelve we moved about four blocks away to a new house that mom and dad had built, which was made of cinder block. It still stands today. The original house/business was later demolished and a new building built on the spot that was also a business but is now a church building (well, maybe it is a business also). My first job was in a Winn-Dixie wearing an elephant suit for a premium stamp company (those were stamps that you got when you bought groceries and when you filled up a book or so you could redeem them for gifts, it was the rage). My second job was working as a “grocery stocker.” I also bagged and carried the groceries to the customer’s car. My third job was what was fondly called a “soda jerk.” The “drug store” as it was called also had an eating area (think Happy Days and the Fonz). I worked there through high school. My family attended a church (Church of God, Cleveland TN). I have been in the church since nine months before I was born. It was a small Pentecostal church with lots of revivals (those people got saved every few weeks). I made my decision to follow Jesus when I was eighteen-years-old (most likely the best decision, in a long line of decisions that I have made, that I have ever made). Some little prissy girl dared me to go to the altar. I got up from my seat, intended to go out of the church building, but some how got dyslexia and turned toward the front of the building instead of the rear. I don’t regret that lapse in direction. After I graduated from high school, I tried to find a better job (of course I had a high school education) but because of the “draft” (of which I was classified 1-A, which meant that in case of war I was the first be drafted) I could not find suitable employment. When bosses found out in those days your draft status they were not willing to employ you for threat of losing their investment as the government snatched you away. So I decided to join the Air Force (another good decision). I did basic training in Texas, was stationed in Topeka, Kansas, Tokyo, Japan, and Honolulu, Hawaii. On the latter assignment I met my wife, Donna, of 36.5 years (she corrected me after my last post, and what a joy that was) that was the second most valuable decision that I have ever made. She fell in love with me the first time she saw me enter her dad’s church. Of course, she has her side of the story, but her remembrance is tinged by age. During my stay in Hawaii, I went to night school (a Bible school attached to the church that Donna’s dad pastored). When I was discharged from the Air Force and landed back stateside I went to an Assemblies of God college in SoCal. Donna had moved to SoCal to teach after graduating from U of Hawaii with her Master’s Degree. She was such an influence on me to get educated. I was the first and only one in my family of five to have a college education. But that didn’t seem to cure my need for discovery. I went on to get a Master’s Degree and a Doctor of Ministry degree (both in Biblical Studies). My friend and mentor (Dr. Russ Spittler: retired from Fuller Seminary) was helpful in making the decision for a doctorate other than a Ph. D. He helped guide me to stay in the local church and bring what I learned home to the folks in the pew. I have spent my life doing just that (with lots of interesting stories). Donna and I traveled together for about eighteen months after I graduated from college as what was known as “evangelist” in Assemblies of God language moving from church to church for short ten-day stints. We sang together and even made a record (one of those bit old 78s, called a long play album, the kind Elvis made). My family actually wanted me to be a Southern Gospel singer (I wonder where that would have taken me). After the eighteen-month adventure, we settled in a “bedroom” area in SoCal (about 100,000 people) to pastor a 400-member church. That lasted for a short period before the power structure in the church got pissed off at me and told us to leave. Donna was pregnant with Jason who was born one week after we were exiled from the church. We have two wonderful kids, Jason now twenty-nine and Jeramie Joy, twenty-three. Jason loves computers and hasn't found himself yet. Jeramie is a differently-abled child who just got her first job in a library. She loves it and she is a Laker's fan, bar none. This started a career of church rejections. Several years later Donna and I pastored another church, eleven months later, the denomination asked me to leave because I was not teaching doctrine to their satisfaction (I just couldn’t find scripture to support that you had to speak in tongues to be “Baptized in the Holy Spirit.” Just before I left that church I met John Wimber. I planted a small group in that town that later became a Vineyard (it is actually still around today). I worked for Wimber for several years at the beginning of the Vineyard movement as a researcher and writer of conference materials. I worked for Vineyard Ministries International (VMI). I moved from Anaheim to Denver to become a staff member at the Vineyard only to be released when the “prophets came to town.” I was actually released by the senior pastor because of a prophecy given to him (dumb, but true story). I was officially out of the Vineyard for seven years returning only a short time before Wimber passed on to the other side. Here in WA where I live I never found a fit in the Vineyard. I was told that I was an enigma. I would attend pastor’s stuff when it was around, but was finally told that I was not welcomed because I was not a senior pastor (possibly the most screwed up language that the Vineyard adapted from other church bodies). Shirt buttons popped for awhile if you were a senior pastor. I remember eating lunch with one of my friends who was leading a new Vineyard church plant (about thirteen people) and introduced himself as a senior pastor (I almost choked on my food). I worked for Todd Hunter at Association of Vineyard Churches (AVC) during his last days as grand poo-pah (produced Vineyard’s first official web site). I have known him for years. It’s fun working with him. I admire a person who would give up what most clergy crave in order to follow what he believed God was leading him toward. Such is a wonderful model for all of our lives. In 1999 I was teaching a workshop in a Vineyard Worship Conference in the WA area when I discovered that I had heart problems. I had open-heart surgery a few days later. On the health side I am also a Type 2 diabetic (inherited from my father I am told). A few months after my surgery I met Mark Priddy in a little coffee shop and heard part of his story. He asked me to help him learn some theological stuff and I told him that I needed to date for a while before I made any decisions. Several months later I went to Boise and worked with Mark (and first met Eric Keck and what a treat that was) for sixteen hours over a two-day period. I returned for about ten or eleven months for two-day courses. By the way, the first question that Eric asked me while eating lunch the first time I met him was: if unbelievers are going to die and go to hell in the rapture, can we help God my shooting them (kidding or serious, you choose). I have found Mark to be an honest and loving person. True to his word. Humble about his worth and focused on being the kind of person that can easily carry the kingdom message to the world. Eric, one huge kid, is sensitive, kind, and loving. They are family, a new family and I am astonished that an old fart like me could hang out with such genuine people. If you are still reading this, I am truely astonished. Just some random thoughts about me, a trip down memory lane. If I wrote this many words every day I could write a book in a short period of time. I’m not sure why that’s important to me but it is. Sat Feb 08, 2003 07:35:16 PM
Welcome to my wonderful wife Donna of 36 years to blogsville. I yield to her writing. Mon Jan 05, 2004 12:55:32 PM
Sat Feb 08, 2003 06:01:01 AM It's now in the early AM (pct) and I've been up since 2:30 (went to bed way to early). Got up and read some and reflected on how much I really don't know. But that's okay, my wife and kids still love me anyway. Saw a quote "never fry bacon naked" not sure where or why just thought I would pass it along. Yesterday (after a conversation with the Priddyman) I was thinking about "what's in a name." It reminded me of something that I wrote a while back. Here it is: How many times a day do you use the word Christian? Do you know what you mean when you use it? Does your meaning match up with historic Christianity or is it a purely popularized meaning? When was the last time you were insulted with this term? Was the insult from a believer or a non-believer? One of the popular usages of the word Christian is to signify conformity to an ethical standard and social attitude that is often cultural and has nothing to do with being a follower of Jesus. Today It has often mixed up with a particular political allegiance that alleges to reflect the spirit of a basic Christianity. Even the Jehovah Witnesses have introduced themselves as Jehovah Christian Witnesses. Some Americans believe they are Christians because they live in America. For them the Christian is synonymous with American. In the church it is worse. America has become a god to Christians. Lots of folks use the word as Christian as synonymous with perfect. To be a Christian in some people's mind means that the person professing to be a Christian is perfect. They say things like "You mean you can say that word and you are a Christian," or "Your drinking a glass of wine and you are a Christian," or "You smoke and you are a Christian," or "You go to movies, and you are a Christian," or You believe that and you are a Christian," or You voted for him and you call yourself a Christian." Others have made up their own criteria as to what a Christian is and they wish to impose it on any who is a Christian. The popular definition of Christian even by Christians is to be Christlike. It only follows that since Christ was perfect to be like him means that Christian's are perfect. Scripture does not use the word in such a way. It is simply a popularization of the word in the culture of the day. The original word in Greek is christianos. It appears only three times in the New Testament (Acts 11.26; 26.28; 1 Peter 4.16). That’s the sum total of its usage. Chrio is the root word form whence christos and then christianos comes. The word is found in Homer and defined as to bath, to caress with oils. Other usages are: the oiling of weapons, the smearing of poison on weapons, whitewashing or painting, rubbing with a garment, anointing after bathing. Christos is defined as to smear on to anoint and as a noun it is defined as ointment. It never relates to a person outside of Scripture. It was naturally in Gentile circles (Acts 11.26 can be dated by occurrence at around A.D. 40-44 in Antioch) that christos first came to be used as a personal name rather than as a title. The populous of Antioch, hearing the disciples use this name frequently, added a colloquial suffix (originally Latin) to christos, and called those who so often name the name of Christ, Christians. Cristos meant nothing to the unbelieving Gentiles who confused it with the identically pronounced chrestos defined as "kindly, useful." The word Christian means to be an adherent to Christ, one who becomes a believer in Christ bonds himself or herself to Christ. In historical writings of classical times it is used to define a group in terms of its allegiance, (fidelity, loyalty, faithfulness). It was not a sarcastic term! Caesar's opponent Pompey had troops who were called Pomperians. Fifteen (15) years later Herod Agrippa II after listening to Paul, remarked ironically: "In a short time you think to make me a Christian" (Acts 26.28: the language of accusation). The old King James Version leaves us with a misunderstanding of this passage with its translation "Almost thou hast persuadest me to become a Christian," inferring that Paul did not quite have what it took to convince Agrippa of becoming a Christian. In fact, Agrippa was telling Paul that he needed time to make up his mind on such an important issue. The usage of the word, however, was not in the mouth of the believer—Paul, but in the mouth of the unbeliever, Agrippa. Approximately five years later with the Neroian persecution a near or present reality, Peter writing form Rome, instructed those who were in the Church in certain eastern provinces not be ashamed if called to suffer as a Christian (1 Peter 4.16). This again represents the language of accusation, and demonstrates that the early church had to contend with the same idea that today's church does—being perfect. By Peter's time it became the name for which the followers of Jesus were persecuted. Three Roman writers (Tactius, Suetonius, and Pliny) suggest that the word Christian was in common use among the citizenry of Rome by the reign of Nero and elsewhere in the empire by the end of the first century. Ignatius also from Antioch is the only one of the Apostolic Fathers to employ the term. By the end of the second century it was well established in the church. It was to fitting not to use (...you belong to Christ... Mark 9.41). vThe early believers did not originate the word Christian or call themselves by this name. Pagans originated it. It was not pejorative only descriptive. As far as the evidence in the New Testament, the usages are uniformly set in the context of the persecution of Christians. Other names for Christians in Acts are: Acts 2.47: the being saved ones (hoi
swzomenoi) So what's in a name? To be a Christian means to be bonding with Jesus (a lifelong journey). Christians are not perfect people. The goal of a Christian is to have a relationship with the one whom they are following. Becoming like the one they are following is secondary to having relationship with him. To be a Christian in the ancient world was to be persecuted? Time has changed its meaning, but I wonder if God has changed his thoughts. Just a few musings... Thu Feb 06, 2003 11:55:14 PM
Today in Seattle was a beautiful day. The sun was shinning and there was a cool nip in the air. It's come and gone and here I am close to midnight blogging. Today was a great day. I got lots of stuff accomplished, but my office looks like a cyclone hit it. Donna, my lovely wife, is threatening to clean my office. If that happens I won't find stuff for months. She's holding off but hovering. She is one of the finest women in the cosmos. If she were not around my marriage would be really lonely. My sister is not doing well. She lives in Central Florida and has cancer. She will be 76 years-old this week. I wish she were closer. If you have a spare moment offer a prayer for her and her family. She is a wonderful person. My arm is having mouse-ache. My fingers are key-crashed. My sitter (wha | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
We arrived at the Peterson
home on Monday evening. They had prepared homemade soup and bread. We ate and
chatted around their dinner table for several hours. We asked questions and he
kindly answered and told stories. Before we retired for the evening, we had
evening prayers together. Eugene offered a brief background and story about the
writer of the prayer.
The next morning we had breakfast
together and then some chores. We pulled a paddleboat onto the dock and emptied
the water and chopped and carried wood to stack at the back of their house, and
Eric cleaned up the compost container that a bear had overturned more than
likely looking for food. Late morning and early afternoon was spent with Eugene
on the deck overlooking the lake with more Q&A. After lunch we continued
our conversation. We ate the evening meal about 7:00 pm and continued our
conversation around the table until evening prayers. The next morning was spent
with another conversation time and Eugene signing the Message. Eugene is not
retired. He is in his early '70s and carries on a rigorous day. He is up at
6:00 am and plugs in the coffee. He goes down to the lake and does a morning
ritual of Mikvah, a ritual purification bath taken by Jews.
He returns and brings Jan a cup of coffee and then to
his office for prayer. About 7:30 he takes a walk (about a mile) to retrieve
the local morning paper. Breakfast. About 8:30-9:00 am he goes to his office to
write until about 1:00. Lunch. Then a "liturgical nap." After the nap he takes
another walk (about 2 miles). He returns to the study to finish the day's work
and then the evening meal around 7:00 pm followed by evening prayers. 
On Tuesday we followed his
liturgical nap schedule (at least two of us did, I'll leave you to guess which
who the other one was). All of us took a walk with him through the woods where
we saw three deer and one quail. (BTW: the first night as we were driving in we
saw a bear in the middle of the road (about 5 foot tall as he stood up, one of
us got out of the vehicle and started throwing rocks at him (I'm sure you can
guess which one. The letters of his name are ERIC.). The walk that day was
about 3 miles and took about an hour and a half. Most of the conversation we
had was about the church and scripture. (BTW: he translated the whole New
Testament and the Book of Psalms in about a 16-month period. When he translated
the rest of the OT he worked about 14 hours a day covering about 5 pages of
Hebrew text a day.) He believes church is the place where God's people are
trained in faithfulness and obedience. He suggested that it was a mistake to
think strategically about the church. For him the Holy Spirit creates the
church, not us. We should be careful not to develop strategies to beef up our
own significance. Size is not what brings true significance, influence is.
Regarding groups who have entered into a "conversation only" mode as a
pedagogical method he was quite clear. He said that mere "conversation only"
implies "no truth and no authority." There needs to be someone who is trained
to provide instruction. Story as a pedagogical method was natural and normal
while propositional teaching was not useful. One of his favorite contemporary
authors is Wendell Berry. I told him that my dad was a barber and he told me
that I should read Berry's
I came away from this experience
with a quiet settled calm about life. Here was a man and woman who have
influenced the church greatly over the years living a simple Christian life on
a daily basis now in their Montana home. It was a sight to behold! I believe
that I am changed, I'm not sure how, because of the encounter with Eugene and
Jan Peterson. 
This was a low-keyed fun time of
getting to know the participants in the cohort. Some of the take-always were:
looking behind the dirty laundry to see the angels (story of resurrection
Sunday); telling stories about "Chicken Little" and "The Little Engine that
Could" experiences in our church journey; and watching "Open Range" and having
a discussion in a little Italian eatery about the images in the movie. Learning
should never end in one’s life. We are all life-long learners. 
and Girlz (I took the pic of the
boyz off 