The Emerging Church, explained in images (and why I am not one of them, I guess...)

Here you go.

Thursday morning evangelistic smack-down, v.

1. "The typical pastor has his greatest ministry impact at a church in years five through 14 of his pastorate; unfortunately, the average pastor lasts only five years at a church." - H.B. London and Neil B. Wiseman, Pastors at Greater Risk (Regal, 2003)

2. The Brahman attended an evangelistic meeting where Christians glowingly described how Christ had saved them. "You people say you are saved," declared the Brahman. "So am I. As Christ has saved you, so Krishna has saved me." The missionary in charge of the meeting replied, "I am very glad to hear that you are saved - very glad indeed. Now we are going down to the outcaste quarters and are going to see what we can do for these poor people. We will sit on their beds and in their houses and will share their lives to help them. Will you join us?" The Brahman thought a moment and then said, "Well, sahib, I am saved, but I am not saved that far.” (E. Stanley Jones, Christ of the Round Table, 1928)

3. How saved are we? Enough to take the gospel out of our meeting houses and into the lives of people who desperately need our Savior? Enough to escape our own agendas and schedules to put the Great Commission (Mt. 28:16ff) into action. Kublai Khan, in 1266, requested the Roman pope to "Send me 100 men skilled in your religion...and so I shall be baptized, and then all my barons and great men, and then their subjects. And so there will be more Christians here than in your parts." Two Dominicans were sent, but turned back. Twelve years later, the pope sent five others. The Almanac of the Christian World calls this the "greatest missed opportunity in Christian history."

4. Couple of weeks ago we called church planting “the extreme sport of ministry.” I probably should have edited that to called it the “extreme sport of evangelistic ministry.” Because…I have decided to call sidewalk counseling at the abortion clinic (something I do weekly) the “extreme sport of compassionate ministry.” Not many takers, but saved lives every time we go out.

5. John Wesley: “What marvel the devil does not love field preaching! Neither do I; I love a commodious room, a soft cushion, a handsome pulpit. But where is my zeal, if I do not trample all these underfoot in order to save one more soul?” (Journal, 4:325)

Luke Tyerman has computed that of the approximately 500 sermons preached during a nine-month period in 1739, only eight were delivered in churches. (Robert E. Coleman, Nothing to do but to save souls, 33)

The Church That Runs Through It

Sin runs through it. Then the church has to.

Abortion causes problems? News from Captain Obvious!

This is the kind of research that fills in the gaps of what most of us consider to be...obvious. But still - we get out to the abortion clinic weekly and plead with women to love their babies. It is the right thing to do, and the least problematic in the universe of morality.

(AgapePress) - An assistant professor at Bowling Green State University says even in the event of an unintended teen pregnancy, giving birth is better for teenagers than abortion. A study conducted by BGSU research psychologist Dr. Priscilla Coleman determined that abortion can cause severe mental health problems in young women.

Compassion lives! WorldMag: 15 of the best groups doing the hardest work in America

Bay Area Rescue Mission — Richmond, Calif.

Jobs for Life — Raleigh, N.C.

Rachel's House — Columbus, Ohio

CityTeam Ministries — Chester, Pa.

Manoomin Project — Marquette, Mich.

Earth Keeper Project — Marquette, Mich.

Christian Women's Job Corps — Nashville, Tenn.

A Hand Up for Women — Knoxville, Tenn.

Guiding Light Mission — Grand Rapids, Mich.

Habitat for Humanity — Flint, Mich.

Mission Solano — Fairfield, Calif.

Urban Promise — Camden, N.J.

Truth Seekers — Memphis, Tenn.

A Way Out — Memphis, Tenn.

Crossroads Center Rescue Mission — Hastings, Neb.

Scrappleface on Religious "Survivor" Show

Shalom - not.

The unfinished season, dubbed Survivor: Jihad, had pitted religiously-segregated ‘tribes’ of Sunni, Shia, Jews and Christians against each other, but the production ended prematurely with no survivors at all.

By the close of the first episode, only the Muslims remained, according to sources, and they were all eliminated in episode two after what witnesses described as “a bizarre series of coconut martyrdom operations.”

“We felt the outcome really would have damaged the concept of our franchise,” said an unnamed source close to the show. “It’s one of those ripped-from-the-headlines ideas that seemed brilliant during our brainstorming session, but perhaps it was a bit too edgy, or simply a little ahead of its time.”

Mohler versus McLaren on the Emerging Church

Bam! Pow! Bonk! They are going after it...

What happens when liberals abort their babies, or flat decide not to have 'em...

There are consequences, apparently.

"So God created humans to be like himself; he made men and women. God gave them his blessing and said:

'Have a lot of children! Fill the earth with people and bring it under your control. Rule over the fish in the ocean, the birds in the sky, and every animal on the earth.'" (Genesis 1:27-28, Contemporary English Version)

Tuesday morning evangelistic smack-down, iv

Who you gonna follow?: “Clarence Jordan (photo on right) preached in a Southern church and observed an elderly woman ‘as crisp with pride as a dead honeysuckle vine’ making her way down the aisle, her eyes telegraphing the tone of her response to his message. He braced, and she delivered – straight from the gut level of her culture. ‘I want you to know that grandfather fought in the Civil War, and I will never believe a word you say.”

“Clarence who was tall and gracious and Southern as a sowbelly himself, smiled and replied, ‘Ma’am, your choice seems quite clear. It is whether you will follow your granddaddy or Jesus Christ.’” (Jordan, The Substance of Faith, Introduction)

Our Kierkegaard Shift-uneasily-in-our-seats Moment: “Today’s Christianity is a matter of being elevated for an hour once a week just as in the theater. It is now used to hearing everything without having the remotest notion of doing something.” (Provocations, The Spiritual Writings of Kierkegaard)

Barna.org data to think about:

• Nearly half (43%) of all Americans who accept Jesus Christ as their savior do so before reaching the age of 13 (2004)
• Two out of three born again Christians (64%) accept Jesus Christ as their savior before their 18th birthday. (2004)
• One out of eight born again people (13%) made their profession of faith while 18 to 21 years old. (2004)

$ cost per baptism (or why we believe in sending money to the mission field): in USA, $1,551,466; in Mozambique, $1,366; in India, $9,803. (World Christian Encyclopedia)

Interesting church planting website http://www.redeemer2.com/themovement/
issues/2004/oct/churchplanter.html

"Red Letter" Christians and Their Dangerous Omissions

Dangerous stuff, this. Campolo can be a very effective speaker, but sometimes...

Christianity more than no, no, no

"Christianity, Catholicism, isn't a collection of prohibitions," the 79-year-old Pope said. "It's a positive option ... We've heard so much about what is not allowed that now it's time to say: we have a positive idea to offer ..."

Of course, there is a pretty long list of prohibitions in Scripture. We shouldn't deny it. What we should suggest is that there is much more to our faith but that, even so, even the "nos" lead to abundant life.

Is this, like, wrong?

...or I am just, uh, and ol' out-of-touch Geezer?

Has to be wrong, right?

The Looney Religious Left and 9/11

And now, ladies and gentlemen, the liberal theologians feel compelled to join Michael Moore and Barbra Streisand:

Louisville, Kentucky—“One of our main tasks as theologians is to deal with current events in light of the fact that our first allegiance must be to God, who created and loves all people–indeed all forms of life,” argues David Ray Griffin in the preface of his just released and highly controversial Christian Faith and the Truth behind 9/11: A Call to Reflection and Action. “If we believe that our political and military leaders are acting on the basis of policies that are diametrically opposed to divine purposes, it is incumbent upon us to say so.”

Thus, with a marked departure from his usual research and publications in process theology and religion and science, Griffin, who initially scoffed at “9/11 conspiracy theories,” places his formidable reputation on the line and advances a chilling argument for the Christian scholarly and church communities. Painstakingly laying forth an abundance of evidence and disturbing questions that implicate the Bush administration in 9/11, Griffin charges the administration itself with orchestrating the 9/11 attacks as a pretext for expanding the American empire. He cites evidence that the Twin Towers were brought down by controlled demolition; that military personnel were given stand-down orders not to intercept hijacked flights; and that the 9/11 Commission, ostensibly created to uncover the truth behind the events of 9/11, simply ignored evidence that the administration was involved in the attacks.

Oh, bother. And...yawn. "Chilling" - not.

Sermon series? You want a sermon series?

As someone who occasionally stumbles around trying to find something to preach on from week to week, this had me giggling big-time today. Funny stuff. Read it all.

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (NN) -- The people of Eight Mile Road Church of the Nazarene lobbied for a sermon series covering a book of the Bible from start to finish, but 76 weeks later, the church is sick of the book of Psalms.

Pastor Kevin Gibson responded to the so-called editorial pressure from the church people by choosing the longest book of the Bible. "Since week 29, they have been begging me to preach on coping with loss or how to raise Godly kids. I'm loving it. They are in a tough spot. Who is going to complain about sermons based on the Bible?"

A small but influential group asked the pastor to take a break from Psalms during the month of December, but Gibson would hear nothing of it. "If we take a break from Psalms for all those pesky church holidays, we'll never get through it. Besides, it stretches me as a preacher to make a triumphant Psalm fit with some of the more somber days of the Church calendar."

A layperson at Eight Mile Church (EMC) spoke on condition of anonymity. "When we asked for a sermon series on a book of the Bible, we thought it would be something short like James, Philippians, or 2 Acts. We're coming away with the impression that the Bible is best taken in small doses...kind of like those stupid promise boxes that had a verse for each day of the year... We think the Psalms suck. One psalm is all like, 'God you're my number one', then the next one is like, 'God you're busting my chops here.' It's just kind of a schizo thing going on."

Tuesday morning evangelistic smack-down, iii

The Kierkegaard moment: “The essential sermon is one’s own existence. A person preaches with this every hour of the day and with power quite different from that of the most eloquent speaker in his most eloquent moment. To let your mouth run with eloquent babbling when such talk is the opposite of your life is in the deepest sense nonsense. You become liable to eternal judgment.” (Journals and Papers)

Lyle Schaller on the vision-driven pastor:

1. They see “paying the rent” as important, but they do not believe all the payments must be made by themselves personally. They seek to involve others in tasks.
   
   
2. Instead of much activity and busywork, these leaders expect others to be involved; “they have high expectations of anyone who commits to being a disciple of Jesus Christ.”
   
   
3. The vision-driven leader believes that the vision will be so compelling that enough key leaders cannot help but be drawn to it. The vision thus engenders alliances rather than the pastor creating them.
   
   
4. For the vision-driven leader, a goal is not an end in itself. It is simply a building block to something greater and more exciting.
   
   
5. The vision-driven leaders sees few limitations. He truly believes anything is possible through Christ. (Thom Rainer, Surprising Insights from the Unchurched)

Ouch! from E. Stanley Jones: “Holiness has been preached very often until it has become a synonym for hollowness. The word has got loosed from Christ and has lost its meaning. Had it kept close to Christ, we would have preached less holiness and more of a Christ who makes men holy. (Christ of the Indian Road)

Most ministers are “called to preach” in the same way people choose whether to go see a movie tonight – they feel like it. The former, having felt, very importantly says their call is of God, the latter just want some brain candy. At the end of the day, however, we have churches that are losing moral and spiritual ground to Hollywood and then wondering why.

Could be belatedly disappointed? This summer, Warren Buffet, rich guy and investing whiz, announced that he would donate 85 percent of his $44 billion fortune to five charitable foundations, the majority headed to Bill and Melinda Gates.

Buffet said: "There is more than one way to get to heaven, but this is a great way." (Associated Press, "How Do You Spend $1.5 Billion a Year?" cbsnews.com (6-27-06)

Website: Funny signs at "This is Broken"

A Youth Exodus From Church -- What Are We Doing Wrong?

Dr. Frank Page, the new president of the Southern Baptist Convention, is disturbed that many students are leaving the church once they graduate. Indeed, the Convention's Council on Family Life reports that some 88 percent of children from evangelical homes are leaving the church shortly after they graduate from high school.

But why?

I wonder if it is not for these three reasons...

Ten things to do before going to heaven...

You got a better list?

Here's a tough one for you...

Is the answer: "I don't know...but I'm going to keep praying anyway!" This article by Heather MacDonald in the American Conservative demands some kind of comeback:

Upon leaving office in November 2004, Attorney General John Ashcroft thanked his staff for keeping the country safe since 9/11. But the real credit, he added, belonged to God. Ultimately, it was God’s solicitude for America that had prevented another attack on the homeland.

Many conservatives hear such statements with a soothing sense of approbation. But others—count me among them—feel bewilderment, among much else. If God deserves thanks for fending off assaults on the United States after 9/11, why is he not also responsible for allowing the 2001 hijackings to happen in the first place?

She concludes:

So maybe religious conservatives should stop assuming that they alone occupy the field. Maybe they should cut back a bit on their religious triumphalism. Nonbelievers are good conservatives, too. As Michael Cromartie of the Ethics and Public Policy Center has advised, it should be possible for conservatives to unite on policy without agreeing on theology.

Nice, long article by Newsweek on Billy G. - older, mellower...

Here.

"Though Graham returns to the 23rd Psalm when he wakes in the small hours, Ruth has spent time in these summer months memorizing and reciting Psalm 90: "Lord, thou hast been our refuge, from one generation to another. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever the earth and the world were made, thou art God from everlasting, and world without end." It is an appropriate text for the end of day, and a fitting benediction for Billy Graham—a man who has, at journey's end, found refuge in hope and humility."

Dobson on Mel Gibson: "What more can he do?"

Good question. Thanks, Doc. Time to let loose of it...

Dobson said in a statement that "we certainly do not condone that racially insensitive outburst," but added "Mel has apologized profusely for the incident and there the matter should rest."

"Mel has also indicated his willingness to seek help to overcome his alcoholism, and has asked the Jewish community for forgiveness," Dobson said. "What more can he do?"

Tooley on Gregory Boyd

Mark Tooley reports from the Weekly Standard. Interesting...

When "non-political" pastors declare their independence these days, it is fascinating that they are declaring it from the right, and to the left. And abortion/homosexuality politics are turned from in an effort to show high-mindedness. Hmmm.

Faith - for 100

Makes sense to me.

BOSTON - Faith and spirituality were cited most often by people over the age of 100 as the source of their longevity, according to a survey sponsored by a unit of UnitedHealth Group.

In a survey of 100 people between the ages of 100 and 104, 23 percent said faith rather than genes and good medical care were responsible for their long life.

Other factors given included hard work, a healthy diet and ”living a good, clean life.”

Even better news is the traditional view of...faith adds abundance to your life - today!

And for the counter perspective from Brother Kierkegaard: "Christianity has been made so completely devoid of character that there is really nothing to persecute. The chief trouble with Christians, therefore, is that no one wants to kill them anymore!" (Provocations)

Redemption

Saw the movie "Walk the Line" the other evening in my home. Got me checking out the web for Johnny Cash songs. If you haven't heard this one or known that Cash was a significant Christian, then it is a good one to listen to.

"I have been a professional entertainer," said Cash, at a 1989 Graham crusade in his home state of Arkansas. "My personal life and problems have been widely publicized. There have been things said about me that made people ask, 'Is Johnny Cash really a Christian?'

"Well, I take great comfort in the words of the apostle Paul who said, 'What I will to do, that I do not practice. But what I hate, that I do.' And he said, 'It is no longer I who do it, but the sin that dwells within me. But who,' he asks, 'will deliver me from this body of death?' And he answers for himself and for me, 'Through Jesus Christ the Lord.' "

Tuesday morning evangelistic smack-down, ii

1. Quotes for "Preaching and Proclamation" from the Disturbing Dane.

"It is absolutely unethical when one is so busy communicating that he forgets to be what he teaches."

"The reason why preachers are so eager to preach in a chock-full church is that if they were to say what they have to say in an empty room they would become anxious and afraid, for they would notice that it pertains to themselves."

"The person who is going to preach ought to live his Christian ideas in daily life. Then he, too, will have eloquence enough." (Soren Kierkegaard, Provocations)

2. This one kind of makes you wonder why we're not having revival. Lack of humility, perhaps?

Most pastors are supremely confident in their abilities to teach, make disciples and lead. Pastors express the greatest degree of confidence in their capability as an “effective Bible teacher” (98% of pastors said this phrase accurately described them). More than nine out of every 10 pastors also feel that they are an “effective leader” and a similar proportion believe they are “driven by a clear sense of vision.” More than eight out of 10 claim to be an “effective disciple maker.” Another favorable perception maintained by pastors is that they are “deeply involved in the community” – a label embraced by seven out of 10 leaders. (barna.org)

3. Picking up on that discipleship theme: "The International Consultation on Discipleship (1999, 450 church leaders from 54 countries met in England) published a document entitled "The International Consultation on Discipleship...the lack of Christian formation among conservatives churches is a worldwide phenomenon. The International Consulation bemoans Christians who are 'not different from the culture around them' and Christians who are 'not living lives of biblical purity, integrity and holiness.' This has 'resulted in a lack of power in the church to impact our cultures." (Ancient-Future Evangelism, Robert Webber))

So...who has the wrong perspective here? Is it Barna's preachers or the ICD? I think...that we know.

4. Henry Clay Morrison founded Asbury Theological Seminary. Morrison told how he had broken the law when he was a youth. He ended up in court, sitting next to a burly, blue-uniformed police officer who held him in custody. The judge on the bench called Morrison's case. The judge then turned to the prosecuting attorney and asked,

"Does he have a defender?"

The prosecuting attorney said, "No, your honor. He doesn't have a lawyer to defend him."

The judge said, "He must have a defense." He looked down a a group of young lawyers in the court room, pointed to one and called him by namne, then said, "You be his defender."

"So I sat there in the deock, next to the uniformed policeman," Morrison said. "That young attorney walked over and sat down next to me. He asked me, 'Are you guilty? Did you really do what they said you did?'

"Oh,' I told him, 'I did a lot more than they arrested me for!'

"The young lawyer said, 'Well, then, the best thing you can do is throw youself on the mercy of the court.'"

Morrison said, "There was something so winsome about that young lawyer that when he said, 'You had better throw yourself on the mercy of the court,' I felt confident in him. I thought that, if he was going to do the 'throwing,' I was willing for him to throw me anywhere. He was my only hope.

"So the attorney said to the judge, 'Your honor, my client pleads guilty.'

"Then something extraordinary happened. The attorney continued by saying, 'Father, if you will just turn this young man over to me and let me take care of him, I will see that he never appears in your court again.'"

Hencry Clay Morrison said, "I heard that word, Father, and thought, Can it be? I looked at the judge and knew it was true. My defense lawyer was the judge's son, so I knew everything was going to be all right."

"You know, this didn't happen in the county court; it was in a little Methodist church. The uniformed officer was the Holy Ghost, who held me under conviction. And the young lawyer was the eternal Son of God." (Dennis Kinlaw, We Live as Christ)

5. May of 1738. Wesley's conversion. But Albert Outler says that if he had died before 1739, we would not know his name. It was Wesley's "embarrassed descent" into field preaching that would change the world. April 2, 1739:

Mon. 2 - At four in the afternoon I submitted to be more vile, and proclaimed in the highways the glad tidings of salvation, speaking form a little eminence in a ground adjoining to the city, to about three thousand people. The scripture on which I spoke was this (is it possible anyone should be ignorant that it is fulfilled in every true Minister of Christ?), "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted; to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that are bruised, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

Albert Outler says this: "It was Wesley's belated success as an evangelist that finally made him into an assured believer." (Outler, Evangelism and Theology in the Wesleyan Spirit)

6. Good blog: paradoxology

Should the church steer clear of politics?

My AgapePress column here...

Evangelism linebacker - ouch!

David Seamands - RIP

From the Asbury Seminary website

WILMORE- Dr. David Seamands was born in India to Methodist missionary parents and spent much of his boyhood there. He graduated from Asbury College, Drew Theological Seminary and the Hartford Seminary Foundation. He also received honorary degrees from both Asbury College and Asbury Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Helen, served as United Methodist Missionaries in India from 1946 until 1962. From 1962 until 1984 he was the senior pastor of the United Methodist Church in Wilmore.

His ministry influenced the lives of thousands of students attending Asbury College and Asbury Theological Seminary. From 1984-1992 he was Professor of Pastoral Ministries at the seminary, and in 1990 was also appointed Dean of the Chapel. “Dr. Seamands was an esteemed member of our Asbury Seminary community,” expressed Dr. Jeffrey E. Greenway, president. “Our prayers are with his family during this time.” Dr. Semands served in the Asbury Seminary community for eight years, retiring in 1992 as Professor of Pastoral Ministries, Emeritus.

Seamands was a leader in evangelical renewal movements within the United Methodist Church. Five times, from 1980 until 1996, he served as a delegate to the denomination's General Conference. He was also a founder of the Mission Society for United Methodists. He was a pioneer in the field of Christian counseling and was recognized as such at the 1992 Congress of Christian Counseling where, together with James Dobson, Larry Crabb and Gary Collins, he received the special "Paraklesis" Award. His book, Healing for Damaged Emotions, has sold over a million copies and has been translated into over thirty languages. He also authored numerous other books. He and Helen were pioneers in the Marriage Enrichment and Engaged Discovery movements and led over 2200 couples through these special weekend experiences.

In addition to his wife of 64 years, Helen Davis Seamands, he is survived by 3 children Sharon Irvine and husband Peter, OK., Stephen Seamands, and wife Carol, Wilmore, and Deborah Mostad and husband Keith, Ohio, nine grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Services will be 2 PM Tues., Aug. 1, at Wilmore United Methodist Church, burial in Wilmore Cemetery.

Tuesday morning evangelistic smack-down

Perspectives

1. Church planting is the "extreme sport of ministry." (Ron Sylvia, author of "Starting High Definition Churches”) Pic above! Woo-hoo! HT: Epic.

2. Quote: "Evangelism without social action is like a body without a soul. Social action without evangelism is like a soul without a body. One is a corpse and the other is a ghost, and we don’t want either one." (E. Stanley Jones)

3. The “emerging church” (that wants to be so Christocentric) so far is missing out on what should be their major resource - Methodist missionary E. Stanley Jones. Start with “The Christ of the Indian Road.” Get it from your favorite used books list. And then keep reading. There are thirty-plus Christocentric Jones books to choose from.

4. "Evangelism" used to make evangelical's skin crawl. No longer. We have now dismissed it as a serious expectation in our lives. Indeed, knowing we won't do it but that somebody else should, we feel quite at home with the term.

5. Since "the list" of the 50 most influential churches has come out, which church in your region would Jesus say was most influential? Why would it be chosen?

Nice resource/blog: House Church Blog.