Is this a good thing?

The Christian Science monitor has an interesting post about churches that have messages pumped in via video without a live person teaching the people. In the article some of the reasons offered for doing this are:

• It is a powerful, fairly inexpensive tool to draw in the under-30 crowd, who are comfortable with technology
• Video technology allows leaders of growing churches in particular to gauge interest in other communities without investing in new structures and hiring more pastors.
• Saves Money - don't have to build brick and mortar, have teaching pastor on staff

Some questions I think need to be asked. What is a "church?" Historically, protestants have identified three marks. Preaching the true biblical gospel, administration of the sacraments of the Lord's Supper and Baptism, and Church government. Does a video venue across town connect to these marks? Should that matter?

I have a bunch of questions that pop up. Should not the teaching pastor, be a local elder in the congregation? If a church has a local elder led polity, do the elders from the hub church "oversee" the video churches that are geographically dispersed? If so, is this not moving towards a bishop/parish model where people in one location make decisions for people in a movie theatre across town? If this is sound ecclesiology, then why could you not have video venues of a church in Georgia exist in all 50 states? Is a "message" now a piece of content to be "consumed" rather than a word of instruction, exhortation, encouragment that is to bring conviction, transformation, and joyful obedience to God?

For me, I am still on the fence about such practices and I love technology and I am 33 years old. I think I am fine with venues on site at a church due to overcrowding and growth that God is bringing...but I still have questions about sheep being shepherded across town, taught by someone that neither knows the people or can speak into their lives, or set an example for the people.

Additionally, there are a few interesting comments from the article.

First, Mark Silk, director of the Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life in Hartford, Conn, had this to say:

"This is part of the new ecclesiastical world order where niche marketing ... is the name of the game, and the standard model where everybody gets dressed up and goes down to the ... church for 11 o'clock service is not the model anymore,"

Second, this comment was also of interest to me:

Few, if any, Jewish or Muslim services include remote video feeds, because they require participation in rituals.

What do you think? Are "churches" that do not have their own pastor teaching them a good thing? An effective way to "reach more people with less resources?" Or just more American pragmatism that is marketing "church?" Indifferent?

'Godcasting:' Love that new-time religion | csmonitor.com

I would love to hear your thoughts.

Mary of Magdala

This morning at Fellowship Bible Church in Murfreesboro, TN I had the privilege of speakng about the biblical Mary Magdalene.  With so much confusion, speculation, and outright nonsense being taught today about Mary of Magdala, I was encouraged by the opportunity to share about this great woman of faith.  It has been a rich study looking at one of Jesus' disciples, the first evangelist who brought the good news of the resurrection to the rest of the disciples.  I pray the message might be an encouragement to you as you serve the Jesus who loved, forgave, established and called Mary to himself.  Not to be his wife...but to be her Lord and God.

The MP3 is available for download here. 

Os Guinness on an Augustian Moment for Pastors

Os Guinness is one of the fine Christian minds of our era. He has invested deeply in the next generation, helped us understand the nature of Calling and influenced leaders for the church and marketplace of ideas. Over at Kairos Journal Guinness has a great charge to the pastor - that he see his role pivotal in this time in our history. Some have accused Os of being too centered on western culture - you will find fuel for that critique here. But what I have loved about Guiness is that he stands for that which is BEST in our western tradition. Literature, learning, charity and love for our neighbor, and most importantly the rock and foundation of the western tradition; the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Judeo Christian Scriptures.

His essay, which will be rolled out in parts, centers around three excellent questions:

First, will Islam modernize peacefully? Second, which faith will replace Marxism as the faith to lead China into her super-power future? And third, will the West recover or sever its relationship to its roots?

The essence of his encouragement to pastors if found in the conclusion of part 1:

Third, because of the chronic weaknesses of the faith of most American Christians at the popular level, in spite of their numerical strength, there is special responsibility for Christians in two particular callings: pastors, because they stand Sunday by Sunday between God and the people of God and are therefore in a unique position to awaken and empower God’s people; and leaders who are followers of Christ in positions of secular leadership, especially at the national level.

If the overall challenge facing Christians is expressed spiritually rather than strategically, it may be stated even more simply. A central reason for the weakness of the Christian faith in the West is the deficiency of discipleship among those who are Christians, including many leaders who are committed to Jesus Christ.

The result of this deficiency in discipleship is plain: despite our far greater numbers than any other group in America, Christians today have less cultural influence than far smaller groups and special interests. The problem is not that we aren’t where we should be—though there are important areas such as the universities and the media where we are severely underrepresented—but that we aren’t what we should be where we are.

In sum, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, we face an urgent situation for both the Church and the West: the central spiritual imperatives of our faith converge with the central strategic imperatives of the challenges of today’s world to underscore that people of faith must live and act decisively to meet the challenge of the hour. No calling is more pivotal at this Augustinian moment than that of the pastor.

For those who are unfamiliar with the term "Augustinia moment" the following may help.  Augustine stood in the gap for the church in a moment of huge cultural chaos, the fall of Rome itself. During the aftermath, Augustine penned the classic The City of God and his leadership stabalized the church and led it into a future which was not to be found in the "Eternal city on Earth" but in the city whose architect and builder is God.  When Rome fell, many pagan religious thinkers blamed it on the adaption of Chrisitianity throughout the empire.  Augustine engaged the pagan philosophies of his day and exposing them and demonstrating the beauty and truth of the Christian gospel...both in understanding tragedy and the shifting of the city of man, but also placing our hopes in the city of God.  A city always within the civilizations of men, moving with God towards the culmination of all history at the end of the age.

Here is the Link Pastors Pivotal in Our Augustinian Moment by OS Guiness.

Not (Not Like) Mark Driscoll

Public repentence is good. I keep finding reasons not to not like Mark Driscoll (for those who like logic not (not like) = like).

A little while back Driscoll reacted to some remarks made by Brian McLaren (which were pretty obscure and lacked conviction) about the issue of homosexuality on the blog Out of Ur. It was a pretty amped up response, really funny at times, and a bit over the top in a few places. It seems like Driscoll realized he stepped over some lines

It is good to see that there are men who have Driscoll's heart and ear. Here is an exerpt from his post:

A godly friend once asked me an important question: “What do you want to be known for?” I responded that solid theology and effective church planting were the things that I cared most about and wanted to be known for. He kindly said that my reputation was growing as a guy with good theology, a bad temper, and a foul mouth. And after listening to the concerns of the board members of the Acts 29 Church Planting Network that I lead, and of some of the elders and deacons at Mars Hill Church that I pastor, I have come to see that my comments were sinful and in poor taste. Therefore, I am publicly asking for forgiveness from both Brian and Doug because I was wrong for attacking them personally and I was wrong for the way in which I confronted positions with which I still disagree.

Here is the full text: Apology | Resurgence

Minister and "Sexologist"

One of my good buddies who is a student at Vanderbilt, attended a most interesting lecture Tuesday night by a woman who is a "minister and sexologist."  His comments on the evening are insightful and pithy.  And here at Power of Change, we love both insight and pithiness:

So tonight the CG indeed went to hear the sexologist speak.  If you're tremendously bored and can't find a cordless drill to bore into your head, you can read her blog (http://debrahaffner.blogspot.com/).  The really interesting thing about her talk was not the outlandish things she said (in support of abortion, homosexuality, etc.), but the fact that about 15 minutes in I looked at Brett and made the comment that she had started with much of the same stuff you said on Thursday.  Sex is good; it's created by God, for a reason; sex is not merely for procreation, etc.  It's so interesting how much damage the church has done.  The people in the crowd bought the early stuff (that we probably would agree on), and they ate it up so much that they followed her as she went to some very wrong and stupid places.

On a slightly different note, Ben and I have this curmudgeonly philosophy professor, who actually believes in things like absolute truth.  He made the statement that in the absence of truth, there is only power.  That, he says, is the basis of feminism.  There is no truth; therefore, there is no equality, just power.  That seemed to be the underlying reality of her talk.  There is no truth in the Bible or in religion (or anywhere else), so it's all about imposing our agenda.  She made the statement that for the sake of "sexual justice," religious "progressives" need to reclaim the Bible, and reclaim the debate, and, finally, reclaim God.  I almost made a comment to her about how God is not to be colonized in that way.  He doesn't get claimed, or tamed, or whatever the heck else these "sexual justice" folks want him to do.  God claims us, and the terms of claim are stated in the Bible.

One last note:  she used a hilarious hermeneutical method when she talked about the parts of the Bible that disallow homosexuality.  This is near quoting: "In the Bible, and in the entire Judeo-Christian literary tradition, when something was important, they said it over and over.  If they only said it once, that doesn't mean anything."  YIKES!  So if the Bible only says it once or twice, it's just a joke?  Wow.  Great job, Deb.  Thanks for the talk.

 Tim, I'm glad we are on the same team...

A Simple Yet God Centered Song

YOU ARE GOD ALONE
by Billy & Cindy Foote

(verse 1)
You are not a god created by human hands
You are not a god dependent on any mortal man
You are not a god in need of anything we can give
By Your plan, that’s just the way it is

(chorus)
You are God alone, from before [logically prior of course] time began
You were on Your throne, You were God alone
And right now, in the good times and bad
You are on Your throne, You are God alone

(verse 2)
You’re the only God whose power none can contend
You’re the only God whose name and praise will never end
You’re the only God who’s worthy of everything we can give
You are God, that’s just the way it is

(chorus)

(bridge)
Unchangeable, Unshakable, Unstoppable, that’s what You are
Unchangeable, Unshakable, Unstoppable, that’s what You are

A Nod for Biblical Orthodoxy

Mark Driscoll has a good post over at Resurgence on the effect of theologically conservative, gospel preaching, Bible teaching practice in churches.

I concur with him on one major point. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many denominations scampered around to become "more Modernist." In other words, the recrafted their doctrine in the image of the spirit of the age. So they removed all the miracles from the Bible, removed the idea of sin and judgment, and presto, they looked just like the world around them. What was left was simply a form of godliness which denied its power. An empty shell of ritual and ceremony devoid of the gospel which is the power of God for salvation of all who believe.

Today's Emergent crowd is on a familiar path. They cry out like those who came before "The church must change its doctrine/theology to concur with the spirit of the age - lest we die!" Not realizing this is precisely what kills churches. What we need is cultural engagement, winsome evangelism, thoughtful believers who swim in the cultural worlds we inhabit, without swallowing the hook of the philosophy of the age at the expense of gospel Truth

A quick exerpt from the Resurgence Post:

In conclusion, the way out of this sort of mess calls for theologically conservative Bible teaching, real church members actively doing ministry, drifting from national denomination leadership to more local authority, raising up pastors from within, and ignoring the parade of fools who will shrill at such changes.

Now the post does have some of Driscoll's concern with "large churches" - but the rest of the post is very good. To read the whole deal go on over to Resurgence Those Bloody Presbyterians | Resurgence

McLaren Knows Our Unconscious Beliefs?

In Leadership Journal, in answering the question "What is the Church for" Brian McLaren makes the following claim:

Most of us have our "theologically correct" answer. The church's purpose is worship, or evangelism, or making disciples, or some combination. But deeper than our conscious answers are our unspoken, unexamined, perhaps even unconscious beliefs—four of which are especially powerful these days:

The church exists to …

1. Provide a civil religion for the state
2. Preserve and promote certain social values
3. Provide a living for religious professionals
4. Promote the satisfaction of its members.

It is on this deeper level that the emerging/missional conversation has, in my opinion, the most to offer.

While I happen to agree with many of the things McLaren bemoans in this article (slavery, racism, even some flavor of environment concern - though I would not use the personified language of "care for creation" which he chooses), it is a bit frustrating that he places beliefs in others that they may not hold. In fact, to say others have "subconscious" beliefs about what the church is for, and then to list them is facile and seems to me to be just a rhetorical device.

First, nobody thinks that Christianity is or should be the state religion by talking about a "Christian nation" - we do not have a national state church (though some of the "states" did in the early days). He is right to remind us of some of the evils perpetrated by Christians in America, but I know very few people he could be referring to (I can't think of one right now - maybe some Theonomists in Idaho?) that want an official civil religion.

Second, the church should promote godliness and holiness in its people and should propehtically call the state to justice. This I think I agree with Mr. McLaren.

Why he patronizes "theologoical correctness" I am really not sure. Other than to poke at people who care about having sound doctrine. Yes, we do not all agree on "correct" but we should all care to move towards that reality. There is incorrect theology, we ought to avoid it. This exhoration is repeated over and over in the New Testament.

I guess my overall frustration with the article is why McLaren chooses to interact with the "unstated, unconcious beliefs." This seems to me to only be the creation of a rhetorical world, to create a world in which emergent can play the hero.

My question is why does emergent have "the most to offer." Obviously it is not because it is a better view, or "more correct" - perhaps just because it is in the middle.

Finally, I want to point out how emergent consistenly uses language like "deeper" and "beyond" and "most to offer." One uses metaphors when there is no arguement offered for why a view is "better."

GK Chesterton once remarked about Nietzsche's use of metaphors (ie Beyond Good and Evil - to avoid saying "better" than good and evil) when he wrote:

Had he faced his thought without metaphors, he would have seen that it was nonsense

McLaren does this often. In his powerpoint presentation from the Emergent Convention (which is no longer on his web site as far as I can tell - I have it downloaded though) he calls us to go "beyond" relativism and absolutism. I just don't know what that means. I think Chesterton would call this nonsenese.

Full article is here Underneath the Cosmetics - LeadershipJournal.net

Is the Reformation Over?

One of my professors, Gregg Allison, has an excellent review of Mark Noll and Carolyn Nystrom's book Is the Reformation Over? I have recently studied Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology with Dr. Allison and deeply enjoyed each of those interactions. He has much experience and understanding of Catholic Theology and Praxis and this review is a well written overview of Noll and Nystrom's work. Link over at Ref21 - Reformation 21 � Is the Reformation Over?

South Korean Missionary Efforts

A great article has been posted to Christianity Today about the missionary efforts of the South Korean church. See Missions Incredible - Christianity Today Magazine. The article is a fascinating look at the nature of missionary sending churches from Korea as well as other parts of the world. Most of the essay is about the efforst of Korea, highlighted by the labors of Samuel Kang, a long time church planter in Africa, who currently serves as chief executive director of the Korean World Mission Association and dean of the Graduate School of World Mission at Seoul's influential Chongshin University.

A few quotes from the article I found interesting

Another advantage is the evangelistic zeal typical of the majority-world church, a zeal that has been fundamental to majority-world missionary growth. In 1973, CT reported there were at least 3,411 non-Western, crosscultural missionaries in the world. That number has now exploded to 103,000, according to reliable estimates, though figures are difficult to determine in the majority world. That total nearly equals the number of U.S. and Canadian Protestant mission personnel, which stands at about 112,000. As the Western mission movement matures and slows down, majority-world missions are expanding. South Korea sends more than 1,100 new missionaries annually. That means Korea alone sends out as many new missionaries each year as all of the countries of the West combined. This rocketing rate of growth is historic. When Kang returned to his home in 1991, South Korea had sent more than 1,200 missionaries, up from 80 just 11 years before. Today, almost 13,000 South Koreans are serving as longterm missionaries in countries around the world.

The dreams are wide in scope and very strategic. The Asian church has a deep heart and desire to launch the gospel into Islamic lands; a place very hostile to "western" missionary efforts:

Many Korean missionaries work in China, where they help train house-church leaders. David Lee, who has also served as chair of the World Evangelical Alliance mission commission, sees a big role for Korean missionaries in getting Chinese missionaries involved in Korea's Back to Jerusalem project, which aims to send 100,000 missionaries to the Middle East. "If we can somehow assist them in terms of a more modern way of thinking and coping and understanding context and crosscultural communication," he says, "I think they would have a greater survival rate."

The article ends in a bit of a triumphalist tone:

So what happens if, despite immense hurdles, South Korea manages to reach the world's estimated 6,000 unreached people groups? What if it leads 21st-century missions into Asia, the final frontier of missions, and shepherds the majority world as it takes up its role in fulfilling the Great Commission? What happens if Korea's missions miracle continues?
"We expect Christ to come back," says Kang.

Is this unreasonable, or just posturing. I think not. We need our hope in Christ and his zeal for the nations to worship him. We understand that he taught that the gospel of the Kingdom will be proclaimed to all nations, "then the end with come." Our blessed hope is his return in his time. Our part is to manage and push forth the vineyard as his stewards until he wraps up this age. Do we "cause" it by evangelizing the peoples - no, we do not. Is our evangelization of the peoples of the world necessary now in the age until he comes? Absolutely. For we do, to quote Mr. Kang - "expect Christ to come back

Piper on Church Planting

John Piper has a great exhortation online about the great need for church planting in America today. Very encouraging and worth the five minutes to read. A few highlights for me:

Third, new churches awaken and engage much of the under-used leadership potential of the saints in the older, larger churches. Many people are under-invested at Bethlehem. A new church would cry for your engagement. The need for more lay ministers in every sphere would press us all toward rigorous efforts of nurturing spiritual growth and leadership development.

Fourth, breaking free from the risk-free comfort of long-standing patterns of church life is a good thing. It’s good for your faith to be tested. It is good to take risks.

HT - Theologica

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Between Two Worlds: Biblical Illiteracy 101

I know many have seen this but I felt it was worth posting. Apparently a United Church of Christ congregation had posted the words of Satan on their main web site banner: "If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours" Luke 4:7 See Between Two Worlds: Biblical Illiteracy 101 for more on this one... ...

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Barna's Revolution

More strong words on Barna's new Revolution over at Between Two Worlds: Between Two Worlds: Barna's Revolution ...

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Kingdom of Dreams...

First, you have to check out our Video Trailer for the series. It is a trip. One of our guys is a film editor and has aspirations to do many cool filmaking things down the road. It is worth the time to watch. Kingdom of Dreams Series Trailer [32 MB - Quicktime is Needed]

We just began a teaching series for our spring semester at Inversion. The series is called Kingdom of Dreams. Here is a brief description

Our culture has always been one built on dreams. Every day dreams are fulfilled and dreams are shattered in our world. We live in a day of marketing hype and media saturation. Dreams of happiness and life satisfaction are peddled on every corner with multiple visions of success, status, and image daily flooding our lives. We believe that we dream by nature of what we are created to be. We believe that God calls us to care, to dream, to long for things in this life; but what sort of dreams would he have for us. Join us this spring at Inversion as we walk into a Kingdom of Dreams a place where the dreams of our God are birthed and spring forth in our day.

We will cover the following topics together: February 2 – Dream a New Dream about the Gospel

The prize and treasure of the gospel is the person of Christ. He is the crown jewel of our faith. At times in America we treat God as if he is on trial and we are the offended party. The gospel clearly shows us that is human beings who have offended God and are in great need of grace and mercy. A Christian is one who treasures Jesus and is thankful and utterly dependent upon Christ’s work on the cross. Someone who has yet to meet Christ may be religious but just has no taste for Him. Other things are much more pleasing than Jesus.

February 23 – Dream a New Dream of the Death of Dead Religion

Many people wander through lives of religiosity, numb, and dead to the reality of God. We neither are hot or cold; we just go through the motions and live self-centered lives, no different than the rest of the world save that we “go to church.” We are asking God to deliver us from dead religion into a life of worship and service where we give our lives away to God’s purposes in the world. We do not desire to be cultural Christians in Bible Belt Boredom – but missional believers living and turning the world upside down.

March 23 – Dream a New Dream about Sex

Don’t do this! Don’t do that! Yet what the heck is Sex for? We will be wandering into the designs of God for our sexuality and the theological truths he reveals to us in and through Sex.

March 30 – Dream a New Dream about Success

Money, Position, Power and Possessions – the world scrambles about for these things…and do many believers. We desire to see a reorientation of our life to Kingdom priorities. Money is for Kingdom work. Position and influence for the furthering of the gospel and helping the poor and the downcast. Possessions to be shared with those who have need. Success viewed as faithfulness to Christ, maturity and wisdom in life, and the quality of my relationships with those inside and outside the church.

April 20 – Dream a New Dream of Eternity

Too much confusion exists today about Heaven. Is it a place of monotony and boredom where we sing old hymns like a broken record? Is it a real place or a place for Casper the ghost floating around on cloud 9? Out of the ethereal and into the new redeemed eternal Kingdom of Heaven. Resurrected to live on a new earth. Heaven is our hope, our hope is in God’s redemption of all things and bringing about a glorious never ending home for the people of God.

April 27 – Dream a New Dream for Your Life

Responding to a Kingdom of Dreams! What are the dreams for my life, for your life, for our life. Who has God gifted me to be, how do my talents and passions fit into his calling upon my life. How do I know what he would have me to do. Where do I need to change to live in a Kingdom of Dreams rather than a lamo American Dream?

Should be a fun ride...pray for us. ...

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the evangelical outpost: The Saltless Servant:Brian McLaren and the “Homosexual Question”

Good post by Joe Carter over at the Evangelical Outpost: the evangelical outpost: The Saltless Servant: Brian McLaren and the “Homosexual Question” ...

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Synagogue 3000

Synagogue 3000 is hooking up with several Christians/groups to see what synagogues can learn from churches.

Rick Warren, founding pastor of Saddleback Church (which has 30,000+ worshippers each weekend) recently met with S3K leaders to explore what synagogues can learn from megachurches and small groups.

My friend Sandy Young had a good one liner of advice to guys like Rick Warren to share with our Jewish friends: "Maybe the gospel?" You think? Something about Yeshua the Messiah, the King sitting on the eternal throne of David, would be a great thing to share. ...

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Do You Go To a 'Me Church'?

This is a funny video - but what it highlights is really not funny. Do You Go To a 'Me Church'? Now I'm not so sure I would agree with this entire blog, but they do ask some good questions. ...

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vine & branch: Not without the presence of God

For all who love Theology, Doctrine...goooood advice from my friend Sandy - vine & branch: Not without the presence of God ...

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50 Most Influential Christians in America?

The Evangelical Outpost has some good commentary on one list of "The 50 Most Influential Christians in America" Not sure what to think but I get this in feeling in my gut when I see many faces on this list: "HELP!" It is funny to look at the different kind of pictures people have for the press shots...I get a kick out of McLaren's "face shot" - he looks so nice. Can't say I am a fan of his work - but he looks nice. ...

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The Innkeeper

The Innkeeper A great little poem available on Desiring God. Read and/or listen today - meditate on God's faithfulness in sending Christ...

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