The Scriptorium

10 tips for mission

2011-03-22T20:36:00.000-07:00

I'll just redirect you to Fr. Joshua Bovis' blog here:

http://creideamh-a-mhain.blogspot.com/2011/03/10-tips-for-mission.html

The Blessing of Beer (Rite I & II)

2011-03-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

"We should thank God for beer and burgundy by not drinking too much of them."
-G.K. Chesterton

"It is a mistake to think that Christians ought all to be teetotallers; Mohammedanism, not Christianity, is the teetotal religion."
-C.S. Lewis

I should like a great lake of beer for the King of Kings.
I should like the angels of Heaven to be drinking it through time eternal.
I should like excellent meats of belief and pure piety.
I should like cheerfulness to be their drinking.
I should like Jesus to be there among them.
-St Brigid of Kildare

BLESSING OF BEER RITE I:

V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

Bless, + O Lord, this creature beer, which thou hast deigned to produce from the fat of grain: that it may be a salutary remedy to the human race, and grant through the invocation of thy holy name; that, whoever shall drink it, may gain health in body and peace in soul. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

BLESSING OF BEER RITE II:

P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: And also be with you.

Let us pray.

Lord, bless + this creature, beer, which by your kindness and
power has been produced from kernels of grain, and let it be a
healthful drink for mankind. Grant that whoever drinks it with
thanksgiving to your holy name may find it a help in body and in soul; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.

Is your church full of man-boys?

2011-01-31T12:44:00.000-08:00

This video is sobering. If you are a Christian man, then you need to watch it. Think of it as a spiritual cup check.

Church Planter

N.T. Wright and Martin Luther on the gospel, justification and imputation: Why Luther's doctrine of imputation captures 'what St Paul really said.'

2011-01-31T09:54:00.000-08:00

Martin Luther got it wrong. His interpretation of Paul was ill informed and unduly influenced by a medieval framework. Luther’s struggle with the Roman Catholic Church, the Papacy, indulgences, the role of faith and works in justification, and his own internal struggle to find “a gracious God” led to his conclusion of the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Luther read his own personal struggle into the Epistles of Paul. As a result, Luther misunderstood first-century Judaism to be a religion of “works righteousness,” “legalism” and “Pelagianism.” We now need a fresh reading of Paul in line with first century Judaism and liberation from the “Lutheran Paul.” Paul was not concerned with Judaism as a “religion of works” contrasted with Christianity as a “religion of grace” as was Luther. Paul’s primary concern was with the inclusion of the Gentiles into the people of God.

These are some of the claims of N.T. Wright who states, “The discussions of justification in much of the history of the church, certainly since Augustine, got off on the wrong foot… and they have stayed there ever since.” According to Wright, this “Augustinian” lens must be abandoned if we are to truly understand Paul. Protestants must now reinterpret the “Lutheran” doctrines of justification by faith alone and imputation according to the Pauline Epistles as opposed to an a priori commitment to the principles of the Reformation.

Interestingly, Wright’s own readings of Paul are largely influenced by a reconstructed interpretative framework based upon writings from the period of second temple Judaism(s) combined with the scholarship of Albert Schweitzer, W.D. Davies, Krister Stendahl, Ernst Käsemann and E.P. Sanders. It seems ironic that the very man who has fought many battles against the quest for “the historical Jesus” is now on a quest for “the historical Paul.” Although Wright accuses Luther of reading his own cultural situation into the Pauline Epistles, Wright himself comes up with a doctrine of justification remarkably in tune with the twenty-first century. For Wright, justification requires inclusive community cohesion and ecumenism.

Thesis:

This paper will compare and contrast Wright’s view of the gospel, justification and imputation with Luther’s. More specifically, my hope is to demonstrate that Luther’s doctrine of “imputation” captures the essence of “what Saint Paul really said.” In order to do so, I will (1) Present Wright’s understanding of the gospel, justification and imputation (2) Present Luther’s understanding of the gospel, justification and imputation (3) Compare both men’s interpretations of 2 Corinthians 5:21 while defending Luther as the better interpreter of Paul on imputation.

If you are interested in reading my entire thesis, then send me an email at:

scottcwalker@yahoo.com

Spiritual Formation & Catechesis: A few ideas.

2010-10-01T07:33:00.000-07:00

As the church lives out her calling through the 4 pillars embodied in community groups the church will offer many courses in the tradition of the Celtic abbey model of learning, hospitality, mission and scholarship. The following courses are just a few that I thought we could offer, but the opportunities are endless. For instance a calligraphy course, how to play the bagpipes, how to grow your own vegetables, brew your own beer, make your own meat smoker/smoke your own meat etc. are all courses I would love to see developed. Note: such courses could be taught by various qualified people in the broader community & interdenominationally in the Christian church. For example, I thought it would be wonderful to partner with the local YWAM base in Lakeside, Montana. Imagine the combination of the School of Biblical Studies with the daily office of Morning & Evening prayer. In any case, the following courses are us a few ideas.

Appendix 2: Spiritual Formation & Catechesis

All Christian formation has in mind nothing less than bringing all aspects of one’s life into obedience and conformity to Jesus Christ. Therefore, the program of Formation & Catechesis at Good Shepherd is designed to:

• Guide Christians into deeper intimacy with the Triune God
• Help cultivate a life of grace, holiness and mission
• Teach disciples to cooperate with the transforming work of the Spirit in our common life
• Enable participants to experience the abundant life that Jesus promised to his disciples.

We intend that course offerings will ground participants more deeply in the stories God tells about the world, and give them the spiritual tools to grow in faithfulness to Christ. Many of these patterns and practices are ancient and time-honored, precisely because they have served well in diverse times and places for the cultivation of Christian virtue.

Basics Practices: Hearing and Doing the Word. Christian disciples are entreated to continually “read, mark and inwardly digest” the Holy Scriptures, and these three classes are offered in single segments on a regular basis. These courses will be offered multiple times per year.

Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, & Compline (Night) Prayer (3 sessions)
It is of the highest importance for disciples to listen to the Lord and offer prayers to him, both alone and with others. The Daily Office of MP & EP guides us to do this while interacting with the Scriptures, and following the rhythms of the Christian Year. This session will cover how to use the BCP in Daily devotions, and various other options for the Daily Office.
The word Compline is derived from the Latin completorium. It simply means “complete.” Compline is said at the completion of the working day – often just before bed. This ancient form of prayer dates back to as early as the 4th century. Learn how this form of contemplative prayer can enrich your prayer life and draw you closer to Christ. Many people report an increased sense of peace in their lives as a result of this office.

Inductive Bible Study - Philemon (4 Sessions):
Do you ever feel like you want to study the Bible more, but don’t know where to begin? Have you ever said, ‘the Bible is just too hard to study or understand?’ If so, then this course is for you! This introduction to the inductive approach of Bible Study gives you the tools to observe what the text says and then let the text speak for itself. Learn to discover the big picture, while also digging into the details of the book of Philemon. Emphasis is placed on understanding the cultural and historical background of the author and original readers of the book. The student interprets Scripture with the mindset of the original reader then takes the timeless truths and applies them personally and corporately.

Lectio Divina: Reading Scripture to Feed Your Soul
Lectio Divina is method of reading and reflecting on Sacred Scripture designed to help us feed deeply on the Word of God and hear the Holy Spirit speak into our lives.

Seminars. Other multi-session courses will be scheduled at different times of the year as appropriate.

Anglican Christianity (6 sessions)
Are you new to the Anglican stream of the Christian tradition? Are you wondering what the Church teaches about different matters? Want to learn more about why we do things the way we do? Join us for six sessions that cover the basics

1. A Church both Catholic and Reformed: the History of the Anglican Church
2. Professing the Faith of the Undivided Church: Holy Scripture and Tradition
3. Praying our Faith: Christian Liturgy and the BCP
4. Holy Baptism & Holy Eucharist: The Sacramental Life
5. Reformation Doctrines: The centrality of Scripture, grace, justification
6. Making Room: Hospitality, Celtic Mission, and the Four Pillars

I Believe in God… the Apostles’ Creed (6 sessions)
Understanding and Applying the Apostles' Creed. Come and discover the most important and basic elements of the Christian faith. What makes up the centre and core of the faith once delivered to the saints? This course on the Apostles’ Creed is a great introduction to the nuts and bolts of Christianity.

Historical Theology 100-451 AD - Patristics (4 Sessions):
This course will survey key orthodox theologians of the early church such as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus of Lyons, Athanasius, and Augustine of Hippo. We will also look at key heterodox theologians such as Arius and Pelagius. We will survey key theological developments and controversies during the first five centuries of the Church. Examples include: the development of the New Testament canon, the role of tradition, the creeds, the two natures of Jesus Christ, the doctrine of the Trinity, the Church, and grace. This course is incredibly helpful for understanding the foundations of our faith. It is not overly academic, so don’t be shy.

The Father Heart of God (3 sessions)
One of the things that keep people from finding joy in Christ and growing deeply in him is not having a deep revelation of the Father’s unfathomable love and delight in his children. Spiritual growth only happens as we entrust ourselves more and more fully to God. But what if deep down we do not feel or believe God is trustworthy? What if we find ourselves feeling like God is never really pleased with us and doesn’t really delight in us and so no matter how hard we try to please God we are never good enough for him? God has something different and better for us. He wants to birth in our hearts a vision for Him as Abba, Father (Romans 8:15), and to root and ground us in his eternal and unchanging love (Eph. 3:14-18). He wants us to know him as the Father who delights in us, wants us and who loves – only because we belong to him. If you would like to refresh your vision of God and begin to let him root you and ground you in his love, then be sure and attend this seminar.

Love, Sex, Relationships, Christian Marriage (3 sessions)
This three-week gathering will examine Biblical and Christian teaching regarding love, sex, relationships and Christian marriage. The assumption of the class is that God intends celibacy outside of marriage and Christian marriage to be a means of Christian formation and to express the life of his Kingdom. The class will combine Biblical teaching and practical training in how to have Kingdom focused relationships. Married and non-married persons are welcome.

These single-session courses will generally be offered once or twice a year at different seasons. Please keep in mind that some courses are still being developed.

The Cross of Christ
The Christian Church is the community of the Crucified and Risen Lord. But how does the death of one man two thousand years ago save us? This two-session course will explore the different ways the Cross of Christ is understood to save and heal us, and how it shapes our lives together and directs our witness to the world. Learn about deep theological concepts such as propitiation, substitutionary atonement, satisfaction theory, Christus Victor, Christus exemplar, expiation… and have such concepts explained in normal, everyday language that one can begin to understand and apply to everyday living.

Scripture memorization
Do you ever wonder how some people seem to have scripture on their heads and hearts 24/7? Our Lord Jesus often quoted scripture as a way to refute religious legalists and bless sinners with the word of God. How can we make scripture a part of our deepest being? Or perhaps a better way of saying this is how can we become a part of scripture? The prophet Ezekiel was commanded to ‘eat this book’. How do we seek to metaphorically eat and digest the scripture through memorization? Come and find out.

Understanding Spiritual Warfare
Saint Paul wrote that our fight is not “against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” What does this mean for our lives as we confess sin, resist temptation, and demolish strongholds as we engage in Christian mission? This course will look primarily at St Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians and Colossians.

Evangelism and the Practice of Christian Hospitality
How can we create hospitable space in our lives so that our friends and neighbors can experience the Christian gospel as truly “good news”?

Key Biblical Paradigms of mission (2 Sessions)
John 4, Acts 17, Matthew 28. What does it mean to be “missional” in our cultural context? What does it look like to consider oneself a missionary right where you are today? How can missions not just be somewhere “over there,” but right out your front door? The first session looks at three key passages of Scripture. The second session seeks to practically apply the truths of scripture to our own mission field. Be prepared to ask yourself some tough questions.

Trinitarian Spirituality
Christians confess their faith in the blessed and undivided Trinity because this is how God has revealed God’s own self in the course of Christian living. This seminar will not only discuss the rationale for faith and trust in God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but the understanding of Christian life that proceeds from that revelation. This course is based primarily on Millard Erickson’s book, Making Sense of the Trinity: Three Crucial Questions.

Eucharistic Spirituality
The Christian rite of Holy Communion brings God’s past and future actions together for our salvation in the present. Learn how the Eucharistic Meal shapes us in mission and everyday relationships, with God and one another. This course is based primarily on N.T. Wright’s book, The Meal that Jesus gave us: Understanding Holy Communion.

Gospel of John
Learn how St John structures his Gospel around the 7 signs. Learn how each sign points to the divinity of Jesus. And how from beginning to end John want us to know that Jesus Christ is nothing less than Almighty God in human flesh. John tell us why he writes in John 20:31, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Come explore the meaning of John’s Gospel. This is a great class for those who come from other religious traditions and/or have left cults such as Mormonism or the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

A proposed covenant for community group leaders

2010-10-01T06:42:00.000-07:00

COVENANT FOR SHEPHERDS OF COMMUNITY GROUPS
AS A SHEPHERD OF A COMMUNITY GROUP BY GOD’S GRACE I WILL …

✞ Submit to the clergy of this parish and other chief ministers of the Church in all things lawful according to the testimony of the Holy Scriptures and the doctrine and discipline of this church as she has received it.

✞ Meet at least monthly with the clergy and other community group leaders of Good Shepherd to pray the daily office, share a meal, and to discuss what God has put on their hearts for the local community

✞ Seek to be a humble shepherd who cares for those in my group. Rather than trying to be a “preacher” I will be an example to my group. I will be the first to model a life of repentance, godliness, and service. I will seek to protect the sheep by guarding orthodox theology while gently correcting false doctrine under the discernment, guidance and support of my clergy.

✞ Commit to being a team player while equipping others to use their gifts both in the church and to reach our local community and surrounding areas.

✞ Intentionally look for an apprentice who is has potential to shepherd/lead a community group at Good Shepherd in the future and communicate potential leaders with the clergy.

✞ Make a one-year commitment as a community group shepherd/leader.

✞ Pray for one specific area and/or neighborhood of our city. I will, in time, seek to be a “sent” person who goes to my community. Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” (Jn. 20:21). I will bless that area with my community group through prayer, acts of service, existing service projects in the community – such as fixing a fence, painting a building, offering water to joggers in a park on a hot day, and through real relationships.

✞ Intentionally build relationships in the neighborhood/area to which I feel called – especially the unchurched. I will get to know people by name, pray for them, drink their coffee, eat their food, shop in their stores and love them like Jesus would. Rather than withdrawing from society into an isolated Christian subculture we will intentionally enter into the community around us and build relationships with the unchurched.

✞ Take ownership for the mission of the church.

✞ Demonstrate a strong desire to see multiplication in community groups and to see the church grow spiritually and numerically.

✞ Commit to staying “outward focused” within the context of ministry.

✞ Commit to the ministry of hospitality and to being “inconvenienced” in our schedules and daily lives. We seek not only to “share the gospel” with others, but to share our lives with others. We seek to receive our unchurched friends and neighbors into our routines, homes and workplaces as if they were Christ himself.

✞ Encourage participation in local festivities, gatherings, social networking events in the city and surrounding areas so as to be like Jesus.

✞ Intentionally hold a community group “social event” once a month in an area that God has given me a burden for with the discernment and approval of the clergy. I will encourage my group to invite the unchurched to that social event – e.g. a movie, pub, BBQ, etc.

✞ Make communal meals a part of my community group as much as possible. I will use this as a means to invite the unchurched that I have built a relationship with into my home and community group.

✞ Commit to an intentional plan for personal spiritual growth. Examples include: development of prayer life, personal devotions or “quiet time”, lectio divina, silence and solitude, fasting (food, coffee, media) journaling, writing songs, poetry, financial stewardship and giving, intercessory prayer and spiritual warfare, Sabbath rest, seeking a “soul friend”/mentor/prayer partner, reading classics of theology, liturgy, church history, evangelism, attending conferences and teaching sessions at Good Shepherd, commitment to the poor and social justice.

✞ Pray the office of either Morning or Evening Prayer – preferably both – and read, meditate, and inwardly digest scripture daily.

✞ Live not only to “get the world into church” but also to “get the church into the world?”

✞ Seek to serve, bless and keep accountable those in my community group. Particularly in times of joy and hardship.

✞ If married, then I will seek to love my spouse, family and kids and teach them to love Jesus. I will not neglect them or sacrifice them on the altar of “ministry.” Mission begins at home.

A missional vision for church planting Anglicans

2010-09-30T18:37:00.000-07:00

I'd like to give credit to Fr. Peter Vance Matthews of St Patricks Anglican church in Lexington, KY and to the community groups at Mars hill church Seattle for much of the inspiration & ideas for what is laid out below. For more information visit:

Saint Patricks

MarsHill community groups

How To Get Involved in the Church of the Good Shepherd
THE 4 Pillars of Community Groups

Worship
Community
Formation
Mission

Introduction

Getting involved in a local church is often about participating in its programs and activities. For example, someone might attend Sunday worship for a number of weeks and then decide to deepen their involvement by joining a Sunday school class or taking their children to the mid-week youth program. Often one’s involvement with the church ends there.

At Good Shepherd we have many traditional ministries like those mentioned above. However, we also understand we live in a new era in the life of the church. We can no longer afford to do ministry within the Christendom model. Most of our neighbors are unchurched. Therefore, we believe getting involved must include more than that. While we do have activities and programs, we also see “getting involved” comes by knowing Christ and by making Him known in St Catharines and beyond. We seek to do this in community groups and by living as disciples of Jesus Christ. We don’t do that because we think programs are bad things. We do that because we believe this is the mission Jesus has given the Church until he returns: to know Him and make Him known. Thus, mission begins right outside our doorstep. Like it or not, you are a missionary and our mission field is St Catharines!

Moments before Jesus left earth to ascend to the Father, he left his disciples with the Church’s standing orders:

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:16-20 ESV)

This passage is called the Great Commission because here Jesus commissioned the Church with its central mission until he returns again: make disciples, not converts.

A disciple is a learner. More precisely, a disciple is one who is learning the way of Jesus. In our time and place we often associate learning with schools and classrooms. But there was a time when it was highly common for people to be educated – especially if they were learning a trade or a skill – through a process called apprenticeship. An apprentice is one who is learning how to do a certain skill from a master practitioner of that skill. A disciple is learner in this sense: an apprentice of Jesus. A disciple is learning to do all Christ’s commands.

Good Shepherd is a community of apprentices for Jesus who are in a lifelong apprenticeship learning how to live the life he wants us to live. So getting involved is about being an apprentice of Jesus – learning from the master how to live life as God intends. To help us stay focused on that end we frame Christian discipleship – our apprenticeship – around four pillars: Worship, Community, Formation and Mission. These four pillars capture, in broad brushstrokes, the way of life Jesus is teaching us so that we might know Him, make Him known, and to live as his disciples.

Community groups are vital vehicles through which the people of Good Shepherd gathers to live life for Jesus in, among, and around St Catharines: loving people, immersed in our surrounding culture, and seeing lives transformed for Jesus through authentic relationships.

We create community groups because we model the Trinity. God is one God in three persons. Perfect love and true community exists and has eternally existed within the Triune God! He does not need to go outside Himself because “He is lonely” or because He needed to “find someone to love.” Rather, God, for no other reason than grace and love reaches out of his divine, eternal, Triune community and shapes us to reflect this eternal communion between Father, Son and Spirit. In community groups we are invited to participate in the very life of the Triune God!

GET CONNECTED

If you’re new to Good Shepherd or have been here since the beginning we want to see you connected in community. Community is a gift of God and essential for your growth as an individual and our growth as a church. Our groups are typically 8-15 people. Please sign up for a community group at the back of the church or phone the clergy to get plugged in. We encourage you to choose a group that is close to the neighborhood you live in. Ideally your group would be close enough for you to walk to! Also, we encourage you to join a group that matches you as a person or as a family. This will be a group that you will spend lots of time with and it should be a good fit for you.

WHAT IS A COMMUNITY GROUP?

Gathering weekly for fellowship and accountability, study and prayer, good times and tears, Good Shepherd Community Groups are an essential expression of our church’s mission.
At the heart of the Community Groups ministry is the desire to see a community of believers who worship Jesus, love one another, and embody our mission to know Christ and to make Him known. God has called us to a continuous lifestyle of worship and relationship with Himself, which is cultivated and nurtured within the body of Christ. The Church is not a building, but a people. It is a gift of God. At Good Shepherd, community groups are the place where discipleship, care and mission takes place. It is where we encourage one another to be worshipers of our Lord. It is where the body becomes the body, loving, caring and challenging one another. As well, it is within community that we engage culture and incarnate Jesus in the nooks and crannies of our city. We were created to worship Jesus in community in the Image of our Creator, who Himself exists in community. It is our desire to see every member of Good Shepherd loved, cared for, and challenged within a thriving community. And it is our desire that our neighbors within this city are blessed and touched by the love of Jesus through the lives of our members.

I AM NEW HERE. AM I READY FOR A COMMUNITY GROUP?

A community group is a gathering of people from the church that get together weekly to share life and support one another. Life is hard. It was never meant to be lived in isolation. Community is a gift of God intended to help us see and experience the good news of Jesus in profound and tangible ways. If you are new to the church this the perfect place for you to belong, ask questions, and wrestle with your faith in a community of people who care for you because you are created in the image of God. It is within community that we exist as true family in a time when the concept of a loving and caring family can seem foreign. It is a place where we encourage and challenge one another in our journey to know Jesus in deeper and more personal ways. In Community Groups, people talk through life issues, eat together, pray together, laugh together, struggle together, and serve others as we are transformed by the grace of God in our lives.

WHY ARE COMMUNITY GROUPS SO IMPORTANT TO GOOD SHEPHERD?

Getting connected at Good Shepherd means participating in both the Sunday gathering and a Community Group. Sundays are a time for celebrating in worship of Jesus together, hearing the preached Word, and sharing in Holy Communion. Community Groups are the place where the seeds of the Word, Sacrament and liturgy take root and become real. It is the place where we build relationships with one another, living life together. As well, it is within the groups within the neighborhoods of the city that we can participate in the work that God has called us to as a church. Our groups are an opportunity to love and bless St Catharines in unique ways.

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT WHEN I GO?

Each Group is unique as the group reflects the people and neighborhood in which it exists. However, you can expect a weekly gathering that involves food, conversation, prayer, discussion for applying the Bible to practical living, and service in the neighborhood. Community Groups are an environment for building relationships with one another, which strongly emphasizes challenging one another to drive God’s Word deeply into our lives. Some groups follow the Sunday sermon series; although some may choose to work through another book of the Bible, or pray the Daily Office. We encourage our groups to follow the sermon series which typically follows the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) available online – just google it. Community groups are much more than a Bible study however, they are community, a place where we can laugh, cry, work and play together for glory of Jesus. This means you could expect BBQ’s, yard work for an elderly neighbour, bowling, working in children’s ministry, visiting people in the hospital, birthday parties, making and taking quilts to young mothers, serving at a soup kitchen, etc.

COMMUNITY GROUPS AT GOOD SHEPHERD

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

-Acts 2:42-7

The 4 Pillars

In Acts 2:42-47, we read how the first Christians lived out the Great Commission. They were, “Continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayers…” Going on in the same passage, we see that there were signs and wonders taking place, the believers were selling their possessions and sharing with one another, taking meals together in each others’ homes, worshipping together in unity at the temple, and rejoicing as the Lord was adding to their number day by day, those who were being saved. Out of this wonderful description of new life in the Spirit, we can discern four basic practices of Christian discipleship: Worship, Community, Formation and Mission.

We accomplish our mission by gathering for worship, creating community life, formation in Holy Scripture, spiritual formation & learning to live on a mission for God. Another way to say this is:

WORSHIP – COMMUNITY – FORMATION – MISSION

WORSHIP
Participating well in public and private worship.

COMMUNITY
Knowing, serving, loving other Participants in the local church and city

FORMATION
Immersion in Scripture and spiritual disciplines to grow into the image of Christ.

MISSION
Loving and serving our local community & the world in word and deed.

The 4 Pillars should not be confused with a set of Laws to be observed legalistically. While we believe that every Christian should embrace these common areas of discipleship to grow closer to God, we also know that each of us has different spiritual needs and preferences. Therefore, the norm for Good Shepherd is following principles based on the 4 Pillars. We realize each person is diverse in makeup, tastes, preferences and internal hard wiring. This is the Glory of our God who takes pleasure in diversity. We encourage each disciple to develop his or her own unique plan in order to know Christ and make him known. However, we encourage everyone at Good Shepherd to get into a community group.

Teaching: Classes are available through Good Shepherd’s Formation & Catechesis Education Program that address what one needs to learn so that they might be better equipped to know Christ and make him known as a his disciple. One’s community group shepherd or a mutually agreed upon sponsor will help one choose the classes needed.

Community group sponsor, accountability partner, soul friend: a spiritual friend that meets with a learner to pray, encourage and have conversation about what the learner is learning. The sponsor is committed to pray for the learner daily and to show through example what Christian discipleship looks like.

Foundations

The 4 Pillars are based on three foundational passages in St Matthew’s Gospel. At Good Shepherd, we call these the “3 great C’s” of Christian Faith:

1. The Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40)
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (ESV)

2. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20)
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (ESV)

3. The Great Compassion (Matthew 25:31-41)
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’. (ESV)

Appendix 1: Your Community Group

A community group is an intentional community of formation and mission. Under the oversight of a lay shepherd - who is under the oversight of a Priest - each community group utilizes aspects of classical Christian spirituality to foster Christian formation and mission. Community groups denote a smaller community of disciples that are attached to a larger church community.

The characteristics of a community group are:
+Community groups are diverse. Some are primarily built around Bible study (following the Sunday sermon series), fellowship and prayer, often meet around a shared meal, some pray together using the Daily Office, others focus on offering a non-threatening environment of hospitality, service projects, or are event focused with intent to invite unchurched folks.

+Community groups are designed to foster Christian friendship with the assumption that in Christian discipleship is more “caught than is taught.”

+Community groups meet 2-5 times a month. This is to give enough time for the communities to grow in friendship but allow freedom in one’s schedule for other commitments and especially for friendship with other people inside and outside of church.

+Each member makes one-year covenant with other community members to attend the meetings of the group and fulfill any other commitments the groups agree to. This covenant is central to the aim of the community group and will foster and strengthen the bonds of Christian friendship and ignite Christian discipleship.

+Community groups intentionally encourage each of the members to commit to and live out the 4 Pillars.

+Community groups encourage each member to pray the Daily Office and will seek to pray it daily at home.

+Each Community group is led by a person who will not only serve as organizer and facilitator for group meetings, but will act as a kind of lay “minister” seeking to encourage and strengthen each community member in their Christian pilgrimage and help the group grow together into deeper Christian friendship. The group leader is called a shepherd.

+Each Community group will do common mission to reach out together to non-disciples through hospitality and to serve the surrounding community in concrete ways.

*Each missional community group leader would be expected to sign a covenant.
*the 4 pillars and community groups are shaped according to Anglican polity.

Why Anglican?

2010-09-17T13:28:00.001-07:00

People often ask me, "What is Anglicanism?" Or, why did you leave Evangelical Protestantism to become Anglican, Catholic, liturgical, creedal, historic, etc. This is a good starting point:

WHY ANGLICAN?

Mr. Stanford Nutting vs GK Chesterton

2010-09-16T17:35:00.000-07:00

I recently spoke with a friend of mine who was disappointed with his seminary education. Turns out the seminary he had professors that didn't believe in hell, thought they were smarter than Jesus and were thus uncomfortable calling God "Father." The typical white, heretical, western, chronological snobbery of many academics. He went on to say that he didn't pay to go to a seminary to hear other students blab about their thoughts for 1/2 the class in a circle time like pre-schoolers. For goodness sakes... the guy paid good money for tuition and wanted to hear what the folks with all the degrees had to say. I sent him this video to cheer him up. It is a comedic take on the modern seminary, but, unfortunately, eerily accurate.

Nutting vs. Chesterton

By the way, you really should go read Chesterton's book Orthodoxy. It's a great read. And, it sounds like reading books written by old dead guys on your own just might be better than going to a modern seminary.

Hide the cigars, don't worry about the porn.

2010-07-21T10:51:00.000-07:00

Last week I went to Holy Smokes cigar store with my Lutheran pastor pal, Eric Hutchison. At the risk of sound irreverent I will say this: there is something of an almost sacramental quality to sharing a cigar with a good friend. But I digress… Did you know Ontario passed a law that has sought to make tobacco virtually invisible? Even in a designated cigar store a man is not allowed to see the cigars in person nor enter the humidor. Every fine Dominican, Cuban, and Guatemalan is covered up like the legs on a Victorian chair. If you want to see a cigar, then you flip through a catalogue. The logic – I’m assuming – is that “we don’t want young children seeing that horrible stuff while sub-consciously being led into temptation.” Anyone else see the irony here? We live in a perverted society. Pornography is visible and readily present for young eyes to see on every corner, convenience store, and shopping mall. The whole industry has gone mainstream. I wonder what lasting affects this will have on a generation of children? What will it teach them about men and women? Sexuality? Self-image? Victimization? Addiction? No one in government seems to be raising the puritanical red flag on this issue. Willing to score convenient political points as proponents of “a smoke free Ontario” yet refusing to make a politically incorrect stand of “a porn free gas station.” I wonder why… how… our relativistic society has drifted so far from sanity that many feel we should hide the smokes from our kids and yet still expose them to the most dehumanizing imagery imaginable? If I had a choice, I’d rather my kids see the cigars. Of course all people would be healthier if they saw neither. My solution to this problem is an American one. Sue the bastards.

Tattoos & Piercings... Yes or No in the church?

2010-05-07T12:27:00.001-07:00

Recently I was asked the following question by a pastor, "Hey Scott, what does the bible say about tattoos and piercings? You must have faced this, with your Seattle roots."

I didn't have an airtight argument, but here was my response in part. I decided to answer with a blog/rant:

Is this a trick question? You know I have tattoos, right? In short, I think it is all about contextualization and freedom. I think we have the freedom in the gospel to get tattooed and pierced from head to toe. My question is simply this: is this going to advance the gospel in the culture in which we live and breathe? Paul went to Gentiles; Peter to Jews. The "game plan" must be different. For example, white-collar, yuppie, passive-aggressive, "cut the tall flower", "who do you think you are?" Burlington, Ontario-ians probably would not be the best to be tatted and pierced up around. Right? Who would listen to you? Hamilton...that's another story. Neither culture is necessarily "wrong" in their approach. But our hope should be to "become all things to all people" (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23) so that the gospel of Jesus might advance amongst our various sub-cultures and nations.

Having said that, if I were to move back to Seattle I would get tattoos like crazy, probably cuss more when I shared Jesus with people, and in general try to use as many cultural means and examples as possible to advance the gospel without selling out the gospel. For example tattoos are OK, harsh language at times is OK (cf. Ezekiel 23 - If you have never read that chapter, then you really should because it is absolutely shocking. Go ahead do it now! verses 20-21 are really descriptive. Seriously, if I used that in verse in Anglican - Ontario I would seriously offend people. This is the Bible rated R... back to my topic), smoking cigarettes is permitted in the parameters of freedom in the gospel. Get rid of the "cutting edge of the 17th century" pipe organ and write music that connects with the culture/people you are trying to reach. Missionaries do this all the time! If we went to China would we speak English and sing white Anglo hymns? Why do we expect anything different in North America? In many of our churches in North America I'm waiting for "the Fonz" from the TV show Happy Days to come around the corner!

Personally, I think the NT gives us more freedom than we realize - e.g. Galatians. Christ fulfilled the law in its entirety on the cross. The "curse of the law" has been removed. Christ has propitiated the wrath of God. We are no longer "in slavery" to the demands of the law. I like bacon, I'll even cook and eat a goat with a tall glass of milk, I shave the edges of my beard, and I'm wearing a shirt with two kinds of material. I'll push further... even the demands of the tithe were satisfied on the cross of Christ:

God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:13-14).

Shhhhh don't tell the "10% tithe is the gospel" crowd. There are many even in ANiC. All of these are OT Law. I am not a preacher of law, but of grace. Even the tithe can be grounds for self-righteous legalism. I got my calculator out and shaved off 10%. God's pleased with me now... done my part. Nonsense! I am a filthy sinner, too. But in a different way. I'm prone to being legalistic against being legalistic!!! It's a two edged sword!

But we are 100% free. Our freedom is a freedom to pursue holiness, not sin. And holiness not to be confused with legalism. The NT does speak of a "new law", that is, the law of love. In our "freedom" we are to love one another and not "abuse" this freedom. Also, the NT repeats the laws around sexual purity, idolatry, Serving ONE GOD (now fully revealed in Jesus), not being greedy, drinking but not drunkenness, loving neighbor, etc. I think if we are to be faithful missionaries to the culture, city, country God has placed us in, then we need to "exegete the culture" before we "exegete the scripture." What is good in the culture? What is bad? What are some of the assumptions that are taken for granted as "godly" that need to be challenged? There are many things in Ontario and many in Seattle in society and in the church that need to be confronted - confusing culture with gospel. Tough to do because we are like fish in the proverbial tank asking the question, "what do you think of the water?"

I had a conversation with another pastor the other day who "exegeted" Ontario culture for me in 1 hour in a way that would have saved me a lot of heartache and suffering in the last three years. I DID NOT know the people I was sent to reach in Southern Ontario. I've made a lot of mistakes and assumptions. Things that would have "worked" in Seattle failed miserably here in Ontario. Even church planting "experts" speak in different tongues. I spoke with a church planter (now in the USA) who failed a church planting assessment in Canada. He then went on to rock an assessment in the USA and plant a church to the glory of God in the US of A. God bless America! Land of the (GST, HST, PST) free and home of the (entrepreneurial, arrogant, brash, in your face, work for your healthcare &) brave!

So I say go get tattooed in Jesus' name if you plan to move to Seattle or Hamilton.

I found this article to be helpful on contextualization:

http://theresurgence.com/contextualization_without_compromise

Also, this website, which is affiliated with Acts29 & MarsHill Seattle is absolutely phenomenal. I read it often & highly recommend it :

http://theresurgence.com/

Don't text & drive... Drink and smoke.

2010-03-05T04:23:00.000-08:00

Driving on the QEW to St Catharines the other day I saw a sign over the highway that said something like, “$155 fine for cell phone use. Hands free devices only.” I’ve also seen another sign, “No texting while driving.” I don’t know about you, but it scares me to see someone with peach fuzz and pimples talking on a cell or texting while doing 125 clicks. On the other hand, I don’t exactly feel safe when I see a grizzled tradesman smoking a cigarette with one hand, cup of coffee in the other, fiddling with the radio with a full load of lumber on his one-ton pickup.

No matter how many laws governments throw at us they can never turn sinners into saints. It is impossible to come with enough laws to contain or restrain us wicked sinners. And, anyway, if that tradesman looked up to see a sign that read, “no smoking, drinking coffee, listening to the radio at the same time while on the way to the jobsite” he just might lose concentration and crash. And by golly I want our roads to be safe.

Keep it simple, stupid

2010-02-24T07:51:00.000-08:00

Recently, I was the following question:

As itinerant Preachers, how ought we to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins to the community around us?

This was my response:

I think one of the things we have to do is explain the "churchy" word "repentance" to others when given the opportunity. If we - as Christians or Dominicans - can't explain the concept of repentance, then we probably don't know what it means. I find this with a lot of words we use as Christians: Justification, Holy, Omnipotent, glory, grace, etc. We tend to use a lot of "Christianeeze" that unchurched "tribes" don't understand. We can no longer assume that people do understand these terms. So, I need to repent of my false assumptions!

I have found increasingly that even words like "Jesus," "God," "sin" need to be defined. I know that sounds crazy, but I recently had a conversation with two chaplains at a University. When I spoke about Jesus with one chaplain we were talking about the same Jesus: The second person of the eternal Trinity who became flesh, was born of a Virgin, died on a cross for sinners, was bodily raised to new life and ascended into heaven and will return as King, Lord and Judge. When I spoke with the other chaplain Jesus was a figure in history that was open to interpretation. In short, he was/is still on quest to figure out who Jesus is.

Finally, we MUST preach & teach repentance. In St Mark's Gospel Jesus begins his public ministry by saying, “the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mk 1.15. I'm not smarter than Jesus so I need to preach repentance, too.

Where are the missionaries?

2010-02-06T15:39:00.000-08:00

Dear church. We need missionaries. We need folks who are done playing church. We need the young men in our churches to put down the video games, stop looking at internet porn, and get serious about the Kingdom. We need the young men if we are going to have a shot at winning this war. The mission field is no longer somewhere "over there." It is right out our front door. Like fish in water this is often hard for us to see. But people need Jesus. Recently I was struck by the conviction of two Muslim men. They took God seriously. They were sold out. I disagree with their conclusions. Jesus is no mere prophet. Jesus is God in the flesh. He died on a cross for us and rose to new life. He sits enthroned in glory and will come back again. I don't know about you... but the imputation of Christ's righteousness is what I'm placing my hope in (2 Cor. 5:21). If you've been reading the New Perspective on Paul (NPP) and some seminary professor with a cute bow tie has you confused about the atonement, drop the class. Go pick up the Bible, turn to Galatians and read it with Luther's commentary. It's ok to be gripped by God's grace. To weep over what Jesus did for you. And you are right to say that N.T. Wright finally got something wrong. Go ahead and sing, "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus..." I can't do enough good works for a God who says -apart from Christ- they are as good as a bloody menstrual rags (Isaiah 64:6).

As I was strolling through Brock University the other day I picked up an article. Here is one new invention coming down the sewer pipe of our porn-ified culture.

Robots

And so I ask where are the missionaries? Who will suffer for Christ? Who will trust that Jesus really is alive and he will show up, change people, and give them hope? Are you tired of drinking from the sewer pipes of culture? Come and drink from the fountain of life. Jesus.

Lawsuits & sexual immorality in the Church? Think Twice.

2010-01-28T13:41:00.000-08:00

I find it ironic and disturbing that St Paul in 1 Corinthians 5 and 6 addresses two issues that are tearing the Anglican Communion apart: 1. Sexual immorality 2. Lawsuits in the church. In his book, Power Points for Success Bob Harrison (pp 233-4) lists - in the spirit of St Paul - seven reasons to avoid the courts.

1. OPPOSING ALTERNATIVE: Have you really attempted to see the issue from the other party's point of view and understand the opposing position or feelings?

2. ALTERNATIVE CAUSES OR ACTION: Has every other option been examined? Sometimes the only ones who get anything in a lawsuit are the attorneys

3. CERTAINTY OF OUTCOME: Before investing your time and money in a suit, have you carefully weighed the strengths and legal options of the other side?

4. COLLECTIBILITY OF JUDGMENT: What good is it to win a judgment if the loser doesn't have any money or assets to attach or liquidate? How much extra time or effort will be involved in attempting to collect a judgment?

5. ATTENTION DEFICIT: How much is the pursuing of the suit going to cost you, your employees, and/or your company in lost money, time, focus, and energy? Could you generate more money by spending the same amount of time on “income increase” rather than “suit recovery?”

6. SIDE EFFECTS: Will the pursuing of the suit cause you to be consumed for a season with negative issues that could trigger personal anger and hostility? If so, it could affect your health, marriage, relationships, and/or spiritual power.

7. FORGIVENESS: Would it not be better to convert this liability to “seed” for a future harvest and move on with life?

"To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?" -1 Cor. 6:7

I don't know about you... but this Anglican is repenting deeply for his lack of courage. I realize I am the voice of a nobody crying out in the wilderness. But I am sorry to all my brothers and sisters for not having spoken out more clearly and with more - to use a term taken from my Spanish friends - huevos. It wouldn't hurt for those of us in ACNA to admit that Ephraim Radner just might be right once in a while. His article entitled, An Unrealistic Proposal for the Sake of the Gospel can be read in full here. His proposal is simply this: that all those Anglicans involved in litigation amongst one another in North America — both in the Episcopal Church and those outside of TEC; in the Anglican Church of Canada, and those outside — herewith cease all court battles over property. And, having done this, they do two further things:

a. devote the forecast amount they were planning to spend on such litigation to the rebuilding of the Episcopal Church and its people in Haiti; and

b. sit down with one another, prayerfully and for however long it takes, and with whatever mediating and facilitating presence they accept, and agree to a mutually agreed process for dealing with contested property.

I have disagreed with Radner, Sumner and the Wycliffe crowd on other issues. Just ask them. But not this one. And I'm ready to move on with the gospel. Perhaps Harrison, Radner and St Paul are not so unrealistic after all in their proposals.

"For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." -1 Cor. 2:2

N.T.Wright and Martin Luther on the gospel, justification and imputation: Why Luther's doctrine of imputation captures 'what St Paul really said'.

2009-12-05T09:48:00.000-08:00

There is ONE thing in heaven made by human hands

2009-11-17T11:47:00.000-08:00

"Do you know that there is one thing in heaven made by human hands? It is the marks in the hands, feet and side of the crucified Christ." +Keith L. Ackerman

Bishop Ackerman said this at the Anglican Network in Canada Synod in St Catharines. If that doesn’t make you weep before the grace of God, then nothing will. Think about it. The ONE thing in heaven made by human hands was caused by our sin. What did we contribute to our salvation? Nothing. Nothing. Nothing at all. Nothing but three nails. Take another look at the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is so beautiful. It makes weep. The cross is the wisdom of God. Go ahead. Be a fool for him.

Calling all Anglican Priests and Deacons

2009-10-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

The Book of Common Prayer (hereafter the BCP until the parousia) and the vows taken in the ordering of Deacons and Priests demand that we are prayerful shepherds of Christ’s flock. Did you know that the Book of Common Prayer requires:

“All Priests and Deacons, unless prevented by sickness or other urgent cause, are to say daily the Morning and Evening Prayer either privately, or openly in the Church.” (pp. 1vi).

Are we upholding the vows made at our Orders? The BCP? I’ve heard many clergy say that the language in the Canadian BCP 1962 is too outdated. I tend to agree. The language tends to feel at the cutting edge of the 17th century. But the answer is not to ditch the offices of MP & EP altogether for the dreaded “Lord we just” prayers. The answer, I believe, is in a revised prayer book – which I hear is on the way - with updated language, ‘thee’, ‘ye’ and ‘thou’ removed. My only request is that the word ‘propitiation’ – a term that is so rich theologically - stay in the service of Holy Communion: “...Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins…” (pp. 78). In the meantime, I thought it was high time that someone offered a brief definition of a few of those words which we are too lazy to take the time to look up but nevertheless say in the Offices of Morning and Evening Prayer. So, Dearly beloved brethren here goes nothing. The following words are taken from the beginning of the Morning Prayer, namely, the Exhortation, Confession and Absolution.

Sundry = Several
Context: the Scripture moveth us in sundry places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness.

Dissemble = conceal one’s true motives, feelings, or beliefs.
Context: and that we should not dissemble nor cloke them before the face of Almighty God our heavenly Father.

Infinite = Limitless or endless in space, extent, or size; impossible to measure or calculate.
Context: by his infinite goodness and mercy.

Chiefly = above all; mainly.
Context: yet ought we most chiefly so to do.

Requisite = made necessary by particular circumstances or regulations.
Context: and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the soul.

Absolution = formal release from guilt, obligation, or punishment.
Context: to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the Absolution and Remission of their sins.

Repentance = feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one’s wrongdoing or sin.
Context: Wherefore we beseech him to grant us true repentance.

There we have it. If we don’t define words, then we may as well be saying, “Dearly beloved brethren, the Scripture moveth us in ‘blah, blah, blah’ places…” Which, oddly enough, I suspect many Anglicans are fine with in sundry places.

sharpen your saws

2009-09-24T09:43:00.000-07:00

I read this story from Stephen Covey's, 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People' the other day. I wanted to share it with you.

You come upon a man in the woods working feverishly to saw down a tree.

"What are you doing?" you ask.

"Can't you see?" comes the impatient reply. "I'm sawing down this tree."

"You look exhausted!" you exclaim. "How long have you been at it?"

"Over five hours," he returns, "and I'm beat! This is hard work."

"Well, why don't you take a break for a few minutes and sharpen that say?" you inquire. I'm sure it would go a lot faster."

"I don't have time to sharpen the saw," the man says emphatically. "I am too busy sawing!"

I know there are many applications to this story. But as a Priest called to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ I wonder how many of us take time to remind ourselves what exactly is the gospel that we preach? Some of us are so busy with ministry that we lose sight of the gospel that St Paul summarizes so well in 1 Corinthians 15:1-6. Have we become so worldly that we consider the appearance of "being busy" to be a christian virtue? I know all of us are busy. I am married. I have three kids. They like to fight. Dishes appear from thin air. But if we are so busy that we do not have time to meditate upon the gospel, so busy that we do not have time to pray, then our spirituality is very twisted. Moreover, if we are busy "sharing the gospel," but don't have time to share our lives, then we have missed sharing in the very community that the gospel creates (Shhhh... it is a dirty word today... it is called the Church!) I suspect God looks at us sawing away on our ministry trees wondering why we won't allow him sharpen our blade? Go ahead walk away from this screen. Allow the Holy Spirit to sharpen your saw. Go read 1 Corinthians 15 again. And shut up... for God's sake.

A Review of The Celtic Way of Evangelism - Part II

2009-09-16T13:28:00.000-07:00

Assessment:

Biblical and Theological Foundations of book – I think the Celtic way of evangelism parallels the ministry of Jesus. Jesus called twelve disciples to follow him for three years of ministry. The disciples did not respond to theological propositions, or a four-step program to salvation; rather they followed Jesus and learned what it meant to be his followers on a journey of discipleship. Like the Celtic model, the disciples’ faith was ‘caught rather than taught’. And it took time for the disciples to discover just what this ‘kingdom of God stuff’ was all about (cf. Acts 2:6).

In Matthew 28 the resurrected Jesus tells his apostles to go and make disciples of all nations. The key word here is disciples (or learners). Christ did not say go and make converts of all nations, but disciples. The latter implies a journey—a lifelong process—of figuring out what it means to follow the Christ in the context of Christian community. If the Roman model at its worst seeks to civilize people before they hear the gospel, the biblical and Celtic model at its best realizes that one does not need to be ‘civilized’ at all in order to respond to the gospel. Indeed, the religious leaders of Jesus’ day and the Roman authorities were the ‘civilized’ of society and they were the ones who most often missed the point of Jesus. However, those on the fringes of society were the ones who realized their need for the great physician. As Jesus said to the religious leaders of his day, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you” (Mt 21:31). Throughout the ministry of Jesus, we see a Messiah who reaches out to outcasts and sinners. He embraces those who step towards him in faith; he is patient with those who may not have all the ‘right answers’, but are willing to learn from him (cf. Mk 8:27– 33; Jn 4:7 – 30 ).

Usefulness of Approach and Contents to Individual and Parish Life:

I believe the Celtic way of evangelism offers an exciting paradigm of life and ministry both at the individual and parish level. As Christians we are not responsible for making people believe and act proper before they enter Christian community. Rather, we are to welcome and draw people into Christian community with the hope that they, too, will “come and see” the good news of God in Jesus Christ. I think this model is more appropriate and effective for evangelism in a postmodern, post Christian context. Rather than presuming one must ‘have their house in order’ before entering the Church, the Church opens her doors to ‘sinners’ and ‘barbarians’ knowing that Christ has the power to seek and save the lost. Or perhaps a better way of saying it is that the Celtic missionary is one who embraces the notion that, ‘the Church has left the building’. And that Christians are ones who call ‘postmodern barbarians’ into to relationship with their Creator and Lord. As a member of the Body of Christ, the Celtic way of evangelism challenges me not to focus on formulaic evangelistic presentations and methods, but to live and love as a representative of the Word who became flesh and lived among us (Jn 1:14).

A Review of The Celtic Way of Evangelism - Part I

2009-09-15T16:29:00.000-07:00

Summary:

In The Celtic Way of Evangelism, George G. Hunter III sketches a broad outline of the history and missiology of the Celtic Church in fourth and fifth century Britain. In so doing, he aims to show how the ‘Celtic’ model of evangelism differs from the ‘Roman’ way of evangelism. It is Hunter’s belief that the Celtic model offers the best strategy for bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to an increasingly secular, ‘barbarian’ and ‘postmodern’ West.

The centre of Hunter’s argument is to be found in the person and ministry of St Patrick. Patrick’s journey brought him from England to Ireland at the hands of slave traders. While in Ireland Patrick learned the culture of the Irish, spent much time in prayer and pondered the Christianity of his youth. Later Patrick gained freedom from slavery, returned to England, and received training according to the Roman model of ministry. In England, however, Patrick heard the voice of the Irish begging him to come back and minister amongst them. The English Church recognized the call of God upon Patrick’s life, ordained him Bishop, and sent him back to Ireland.

But Patrick would not minister to the Irish in the typical Roman manner. Indeed, while the Roman method of evangelism sought to ‘civilize’ the population before presenting the gospel, Patrick’s ministry was defined by a radical inclusive understanding of mission and fellowship. As Hunter states repeatedly, Patrick’s vision was marked by a philosophy that ‘Christianity is more caught than taught’. That is, whereas the Roman model of mission seemed to focus on what was wrong with pagan culture, Patrick’s model—the Celtic model—sought to build upon, expand, and work with what was right in pre-existing forms of worship and culture. For example, we see this in the Celtic appreciation for the number three. Pagan deities were often represented in triads. Patrick, therefore, used this as a building block for discussing the blessed Trinity. Such contextualization became the forte of the Celtic model of mission. Rather than expecting Irish converts to learn Latin, sing Latin Hymns, use Latin Liturgy, and adopt Roman monastic practices, Patrick learned native Irish dialects and allowed for authentic Irish expressions of the gospel to flourish. In short, if the Roman method of mission attempted to get other cultures to adopt the Roman model of Christianity (‘our way or the highway’) e.g., Synod of Whitby in 664 A.D., tonsure, dating of Easter, then the Celtic model was marked by the ability to adapt and contextualize. If the Roman model could be summed up as ‘believe first, then belong’ with the intent to ‘withdraw’ from the pagan culture, then the Celtic model sought to reverse this order; that is, ‘belong first and then believe’ with the intent to actively engage the surrounding religious ethos . Patrick’s communities, missionaries, and monasteries (not to mention the movements and missionaries that had their roots in the Celtic movement—Aidan, Columba and their disciples) were thus known for their warmth, hospitality, love for creation, appreciation for the supernatural, and stressed the importance of community combined with a theological emphasis upon the closeness or immanence of God (82). In sum, the genius of the Celtic Model is that it allowed for a distinctive Irish form of Christianity to flourish without toning down the orthodox faith of the Apostles (70).

So why does Hunter explore the benefits of the Celtic way of evangelism? Because he believes that the West – increasingly surrounded by those who have no “basic Christian knowledge” – is in a cultural context comparable to Patrick’s Ireland:
“In pre-Christian and post-Christian contexts, the advocate [missionary] cannot assume basic Christian knowledge in the minds of the audience, so clarity is an absolute requirement for engaging most of the people … and a sole reliance on direct propositional speaking is seldom effective as it should be anywhere” (62).

In other words, as the last remnants of Western Christendom crumble, the Christian cannot assume their audience has had any Christian teaching, catechismal instruction, or even any familiarity with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Moreover, as Hunter argues, Western postmodern culture continues to have a visceral reaction to the Roman way of evangelism. In short, the Roman way simply will not ‘work’ in the postmodern, post Christendom West. Indeed, Hunter further argues that the Roman way, with its typical ‘left brain’ approach to Christianity—logic, concepts, rationality and ‘presentation’ model must be put to the side in favour of a Celtic ‘right brain’ approach to faith—experience, intuition, imagination and inclusion (71). If the Roman model attempted to evangelize ‘the suspicious outsider’ with the intent to ‘change the heathens ways’ before they could be welcomed into the community of faith, then the Celtic model challenges Christians to invite wandering sheep to discover what it truly means to be a disciple of Jesus while being embraced from within the community of faith.

Catechesis through ancient liturgy

2009-09-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. - 2 Thessalonians 2:15

What are we handing down to our children? As a church what are we doing to see that what “has been confessed everywhere, always and by all” (St. Vincent of Lerins) is received by the current generation of saints and passed down to the next and the next and the next? I had this thought the other day when someone asked, “how do we see that people are discipled in the Christian faith after they are ‘saved?’ ” As an Anglican the answer seems obvious: immerse them in the Church and let them learn the “language” of the people of God through the Scriptures, tradition, liturgy, the breaking of bread and fellowship. Every people group, every tribe has a language. Why should we expect anything else from the Church of God? The language of the Church is the language of heaven coming to us on earth. The liturgy creates space for God. In worship heaven comes to earth. In worship the chasm between heaven and earth is removed. Past, present and future meet in symphony. The liturgy, the confession and absolution, the creed, the rule of faith, the Lord’s prayer, the reading of the Holy Scriptures, the homily, the prayers, the Eucharist, the blessing and dismissal are part of that language. This need not become confused with “dead tradition.” Anything separated from the well of God’s Spirit becomes, “dead.” That could be an Evangelical Bible believing church or Anglo-Catholicism.

Somehow many of us in the evangelical tradition think it is our duty to “come up with something new.” This is manifested in attempts to reserve the Supper of the Lord for “special occasions… so that it doesn’t become routine.” I wonder what the original evangelicals would think of this, namely, Luther, Cranmer and Calvin? These men were rooted in the Fathers of the Church. There battle cry was not “something new,” but “let us return to the sources” (Ad fontes). Even John Calvin wanted Holy Communion to be celebrated weekly, but was voted down by his elders. I wonder if those elders thought Calvin should preach quarterly so that his preaching would not lose its meaning and become routine? Perhaps we should reserve prayer for when we feel moved to do so? I don’t know about you, but if I left prayer to such “inspired moments,” I would never pray. Imagine if we ran our everyday lives like that. Imagine our lives without the daily “liturgical” heartbeat… with no schedule of any sort. “Sorry honey I know you like coffee in the morning, but I thought we should wait until after dinner tonight to keep it from becoming a morning tradition.” And Fr J, thanks for the reminder about our personal favorite response from a dear friend of ours in Youth With a Mission (YWAM) who thought we should celebrate communion more than four times a year. His response to someone in favor of the “less often makes it special” mindset is not only funny, but the more I think about it deeply profound: “well, I think you should only have sex with your wife quarterly so as to keep it special.” If you’ve ever read the Song of Songs, this would be highly unbiblical.

In any case, as an evangelical who has had a “conversion experience,” who loves to lift up his hands, sing the same chorus over and over and praise God I wonder what our churches would look like if this was all we “handed down” to our sons and daughters? If all we passed on was the message that they “need to be converted” and sing praise songs? Then this leaves me to ask: who is it that we are being converted to? Just who is this Jesus to whom we offers prayers and our very selves? What has the Church across time and space said about him? How much theology about the Triune God do I learn from “Lord I lift your name on high?” I think a few generations of this and the faith of the apostles would barely be recognizable.

And so I plead with you to teach people new to the faith – old disciples and fresh converts, your children, friends, family and anyone else in the church and whoever will listen long enough - the language of the faith. It is a great treasure from God. Teach, live, breath, and pass on the language of the Church in spirit and in truth. Personally I have been challenged to pray Compline (http://prayerbook.ca/bcp/compline.html) with my children at night, rather than offering vague “Lord… we just...” prayers. I pray that future generations will be thankful for teaching them how to pray and confess:

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty,

Maker of heaven and earth:

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord…

Praying the Creed seems capture the, “what I received I passed on” element of the faith as opposed to praying, “Lord… we just…” Who is this “Lord Wejust” anyway?

Imago Dei

2009-07-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

I had a conversation with a man recently. He said to me, "I feel like I have been created for a purpose that I am not fulfilling. I feel like there is something that I have to contribute to the world and I don't know what that is. Sometimes I feel like I am sort of aimlessly wandering about." My response was, "you need to give your life to Christ." I continued, "If this is all there is... if we are nothing more than a cosmic accident in a world of utter meaninglessness that this is a cruel and f----- up universe indeed." As we drove down the highway the man thought about my words and said, "yeah... I don't know if religion is the answer." I proceeded to tell him that the religion of the Pharisees (cf. Mt. 23-25) is not the answer, but the religion of Christ - being a follower of Christ is the answer. I left it at that. We continued to drive to our destination. As we parted ways he asked me to pray a blessing over him. "And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen."

On the way home I thought. I thought that here is someone created in the image of God. Someone - because he was created in that image, the imago dei - crying out to be restored to God through Christ, crying out for the divine image to be renewed, crying out for purpose and meaning, longing for hope. But he did not think Christ was the answer. I imagine that many of us feel this way. We have had enough of "religion" whatever that means. We have all had enough of the "holier-than-thou" pseudo-holiness. And we should agree with the man's conclusion: that type of religion - the religion of the Pharisees - is NOT the answer. Christ is. He is the answer to all our questions. And He is the question to all of our Pharisaical answers.

If someone were to say to me, "I am thirsty," I would respond, "have you considered a glass of water." Now imagine if that someone said, "I do not think water is the answer." The prophet Isaiah says it well:

Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant.
-Isaiah 55:1-3 (ESV)

here goes nothing

2009-07-06T11:23:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my good friend, Chris Schroeder, I have decided to begin a blog. I really have nothing to say, but figured I should start today or it would just sit empty for ages. So thank you, Chris! I pray that these blogs will continue in the spirit of the many long theological musings and conversations we have had over the years. To God be the glory... great things he has done.