The Incarnation is aimed at man’s transformation through the Cross and to the new corporeality of the Resurrection. God seeks us where we are, not so that we stay there, but so that we may come to be where he is, so that we may get beyond ourselves. That is why to reduce [...]
Archive for the ‘Contemporary Issues’ Category
The Historical Jesus & Worship
Posted in Contemporary Issues, Jesus Christ, Liturgy on 2 June 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Southern Baptists prepare to become Episcopalians
Posted in Contemporary Issues, TEC on 2 June 2008 | 2 Comments »
“If we don’t start paying attention to the realities … by the year 2030, we will be proud to have 20,000 rather than 44,000 Southern Baptist churches.” That’s a quote from outgoing Southern Baptist Convention President Frank Page recently.
“You’ve got massive numbers,” he said, “maybe not a majority but massive numbers of evangelical churches [...]
What ARE Ministers for Anyway?
Posted in Contemporary Issues, Pastoral Ministry on 4 May 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Forgive my ignorance, I don’t know who Kim Fabricius is, but this post is spot on.
Just a taste…
1. Ministers should be able to lead and to organise, but they are not called to be managers – and woe unto the minister who would run the one, holy, catholic, apostolic – and “efficient” McChurch!
I also especially [...]
Anachronistic Contexuality
Posted in Contemporary Issues, Holiness, Quotes on 3 May 2007 | Leave a Comment »
You may see this deceitfulness in the wonderful proneness of men to regard sin as less sinful and dnagerous than it is in the sight God and in their readiness to extenuate it, make excuses for it and minimize its guilt. ‘It is but a little one! God is merciful! God is not [...]
An Anglican Bishop Speaks to The Episcopal Church
Posted in Anglican, Contemporary Issues, History, Pastoral Ministry on 27 April 2007 | 2 Comments »
A scriptural view of sin is one of the best antidotes to the extravagantly broad and liberal theology which is so much in vogue at the present time. The tendency of modern thought is to reject dogmas, creeds, and every kind of bounds in religion. It is thought grand and wise to condemn no opinion [...]
Church Membership
Posted in Contemporary Issues, Pastoral Ministry on 26 April 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Our congregation had a recent discussion about church membership during a quarterly business meeting. Discussion may be understating the case, it was fairly heated at points.
The presenting issue was presenting people to the church and then having the congregation vote on them for membership. A former pastor in the congregation pointed out that he has [...]
J.C. Ryle on 21st Century Religion
Posted in Contemporary Issues, History, Pastoral Ministry on 25 April 2007 | 1 Comment »
I say, then, in the first place, that a scriptural view of sin is one of the best antidotes to that vague, dim, misty, hazy kind of theology which is so painfully current in the present age. It is vain to shut our eyes to the fact that there is a vast quantity of so-called [...]
Plagiarizing Sermons
Posted in Contemporary Issues, Pastoral Ministry, Preaching on 24 April 2007 | 1 Comment »
Kendall at T1:9 offers us this great post on pastors plagiarizing other pastors messages. I posted the following comments as my intial response to the issue:
Solomon once wrote that there is nothing new under the sun. He might have been right.
I find it hard to believe that after 2000 years of preaching the Gospel that every [...]
Modern Christianity, Mega Church, Community Crusades
Posted in Contemporary Issues, History, Pastoral Ministry on 23 April 2007 | Leave a Comment »
It is easy to get crowds together for what are called ‘higher life’ and ‘consecration’ meetings. Anyone knows that, who has watched human nature and read descriptions of American camp-meetings and studied the curious phenomena of the ‘religious affections.’ Sensational and exciting addresses by strange preachers or by women, loud singing, hot rooms, crowded tents [...]
Heard On the Street
Posted in Contemporary Issues, Liturgy, Pastoral Ministry, Preaching on 13 April 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Is it still church when the pastor doesn’t show up, but gives his message by video?
The following set of facts is a true story overheard literally on the street last night.
Everything else went as it usually does in this very large church in a very large city. The congregation was led in music by the normal [...]
