TOP POSTS OF 2008

Dr. Clyde Cook Dies
Building a Monkey Bar System
Summer 2008 Reading--A Working List
Added Followers Gadget
sketchpad--What Makes an Economic System Acceptable?

sketchpad--DEFINING GOD'S GLORY

Glory is the overwhelming splendor of God’s presence, entered only by those he calls, revealed or shrouded by his own intention, and reflected in Jesus.

I'M NOT THERE YET

Games encourage both unfortunate “Darwinian” traits and communal health. Keeping the second while avoiding the first requires, I think, submission to the Holy Spirit’s heart-work.

SOUP, SNOW, and FRIENDS

Made soup—EVOO-sauteed sweet onion; low-salt beef broth; whey, green lentils; and chopped kale—for snow lunch with friends. Soup was good; friends are better.

REFLECTION COMES IN ALL SIZES

A day that began with reflection, looking over a week of daily writing, ends with a well-crafted bit of light-hearted eco-propaganda.

Thought-fodder from odd places.

Flesh trembles in love and fear

Psalm 119:113-120

God, uphold by promise; against by justice
me, with love and fear, following God and Word.

related post

---
Follow me on Twitter

EVEN BAD DAYS CAN BE GOOD

Though punctuated with irritation and some injury-caused pain, the day began with Word and ended with good friend and good food.

You can’t beat that.

WHAT ARE YOU CELEBRATING TODAY?

Celebrating the incarnation is to be distinguished from celebrating Christmas. Celebrating incarnation requires intentional thought. Celebrating Christmas requires cultural tradition. Both are good; one, better.

SINCE GOD BECAME ONE OF US,,,

Do we—can we—understand this God turned human infant, complete with diaper changes and midnight feedings?

Too easily seeing wholly other or wholly same…


Tag(s): Christmas incarnation

ECCLESIA in CONCEPT and REALITY

Thinking about the Church with Berkhof:
What it is and what it is not—
Communio Sanctorum or visible structure?

After, dinner with friends.

Good day!

ONE WAY TO START A VACATION

First lazy day of winter:
A bit of writing
A bit of thinking
A bit of nibbling
A bit of television
A bit of dishwashing

LEARNING FROM THE PAINFULLY SHARP TURNS

Back in 1995, God changed my plans. I had been accepted into the degree completion program at Pacific Christian College (now Hope International University). I knew where I was going and what would happen. Then life changed.

I was laid off at work and was unable to attend school. Later than same year, I was walking through the exhibit hall at CMTA and happened across the Biola University BOLD booth. Ann convinced me to pickup a packet.

Now, thirteen years later, I have not only completed my bachelors degree, but have also earned a Master of Divinity (Christian Education) and a Master of Theology (Systematic Theology). I am currently awaiting news on my Doctor of Philosophy (Educational Studies) application.

God used a sharp turn in the road (which included a few tears, let me tell you) to get my attention, to show me he has plans for me, and to draw my trust.

Thanks God.

CELEBRATING INCARNATION

Official Christmas Sunday:

• Gathering Band and the GB Choir, performing for the One;
• Sanctify leadership discern how to learn and teach prayer.

A good day.

THINKING IN SYSTEMS

"How we describe our actions in the world
affects the kinds of actions we take in the world."

Introduction to Systems Thinking
Daniel Kim
p6

BY GUIDANCE AND INTENTION

Psalm 119:105-112

lighted path, decided mind move together
obeying from love decides, not externals

related post

THE WHERE and HOW of SPIRITUAL FORMATION

Love is our geography...
Love is our bond...

Truth is our sustenance...
Truth is our structure...

...from and for Christ

Ephesians 4:7, 11-16

LET'S BLITZ THE ME-PRAYER

Last night we studied prayer in Daniel 9.

• So much worship and confession
• So little request
• Fully one for all
• No one for one

Ouch!

Tag(s): prayer christian

DAY OFF THE BLOG

Taking off this blog day. I should be back tomorrow...we'll see.

PURSUED BY AND DWELLING IN GOD

Psalm 23

I am certain that God's goodness and kindness
will chase after me every day of my life
and I will dwell in God's dwelling place--
his presence in worship--
for length of days.
Psalm 23:6 (LKS paraphrase)

Two bits struck me in this verse. First, before yesterday I'd never looked up the Hebrew term translated "follow" (radaph). I had always envisioned it as a casual, yet persistent, presence. But the term carries the meaning "pursue, chase after." God's goodness and kindness are not merely present; they are relentless, pursuing me even into places where I should not be.

Am I truly certain of that God's goodness and kindness pursue me?

Second, while some see 6b as referring to heaven, the term translated "house" (bayith) is never used this way; rather, it refers to the temple: the place of "God with us" and the place where the people of God worship. In the New Testament context (in which we live), Jesus (and his Spirit) is God with Us and the gathering of persons, called Church--his Body, is the place of worship.

So, what does it mean to dwell in Jesus and his Body for length of days?

Tag(s): psalms "old testament" psalm 23

SWEET POTATOES and OTHER STUFF

• Asian pears and homemade NF farmer cheese
• Oat muffin made with steel cut oats, beef stock, and egg whites
• Salad of green leaf lettuce and stir fry veges, with a homemade guacamole dressing.
• Stew with beef stock, whey, sweet potato, left over pork chop, and crimini mushrooms
• Steamed broccoli rabe

Tag(s): cooking recipes

sketchpad THE IMPORTANCE OF A BIBLICAL THEOLOGY

The importance of biblical theology came up in a discussion on Facebook and, since it is a passion of mine and a worthy topic, I shall sketch a few ideas here.

First, a little insight from the American Heritage Dictionary (emphasis mine):

bib·li·cal also Bib·li·cal (bĭb'lĭ-kəl) adj.

1. Of, relating to, or contained in the Bible.
2. Being in keeping with the nature of the Bible, especially:
   1. Suggestive of the personages or times depicted in the Bible.
   2. Suggestive of the prose or narrative style of the King James Bible.
3. Very great in extent; enormous: a natural disaster of near biblical proportions.

the·ol·o·gy (thē-ŏl'ə-jē) Pronunciation Key n. pl. the·ol·o·gies

1. The study of the nature of God and religious truth; rational inquiry into religious questions.
2. A system or school of opinions concerning God and religious questions: Protestant theology; Jewish theology.
3. A course of specialized religious study usually at a college or seminary.

Claim: Jesus, not biblical theology, transforms us.

• Which Jesus? We only know the true Jesus from false one through the Bible. Biblical theology is simply an understanding of God and God's things that coheres with the Bible.
• Some misuse the Bible by quoting verse after verse in support of their assumptions, but the mere use of Bible verses does not constitute a biblical theology. To be considered biblical, a theology must cohere with the whole of Scripture. Such a theology requires that we receive critique from our brothers and sisters and from non-believers. True biblical theology recognizes the Bible as the voice of God, not as a resource book.

Claim: Much of our "theology" is shaped by cultural assumptions.

• This is all too true. The best way to uncover our cultural assumptions is to learn God's truth alongside believers from other cultures. This requires mutual submission (Eph 5:21). We must be willing to speak and to listen honestly. We must be willing to change.
  

Claim: Biblical theology starts with the Bible, but Jesus is its Master.

• Yes, Jesus is Master, but any attempt to pit Jesus against the Scripture creates a false dichotomy, for Scripture is the very voice of God. Every part of the Bible points to Jesus the Messiah (John 5:39). Because the Bible is the Word of God, it is also our master. We cannot and must not use our theology to rule our understanding of Scripture. Rather, Scripture rules our theology. Scripture interprets our perceptions, experiences, and perspectives, showing us what is true and what is false in them. Learning Scripture with our brothers and sisters is the best way for this critique of our assumptions to take place. In the context of time, our understandings are partial; we need one another and the Spirit to correct errors and fill in gaps. An increasingly clear and accurate understanding of Scripture is the best way to know whether the God we know and worship is the one true God and whether the Jesus we follow is the one whom he sent (John 17:3).
  

SAVORING AND LIVING THE WORD

Psalm 119:97-104

the choice to savor, to think, and to obey
brings wisdom, enjoyment, and holy passion

related post

Tag(s): "psalm 119" psalms "old testament"

sketchpad SCRIPTURE: FUNCTION OF and RESPONSE TO THE WRITTEN TEXT

I'm working on a word study of te graphe (literally "the Writings;" usually translated "the Scripture") in the gospels and have arrived at the following draft statement:

Scripture provides historical and conceptual context for the relational knowledge of God, community, and self. When a person-to-person encounter with God occurs within this context, the proper result if trust.

How does this play out?

Ecclesial Connections

• Context: public reading, public proclamation, discussion/dialogue, and encouragement/confrontation.
• Encounter: worship, service, and testimony
• Trust: modeling and correction
  

Functioning Persons

• Context: chunk reading, portion study, and intentionality
• Encounter: openness, submission, and readiness
• Trust: self-evaluation and confession
  

What else?

Tag(s): spiritual formation bible study bible reading

DEFINING CHRISTIANITY

Christianity is not defined by knowing the right things.
It is not defined by doing the right things.
It is not defined by feeling the right things.

Christianity is defined by knowing a person: Jesus.

That's it.

Everything else flows from that one thing.

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

Luke 10:38-42 ESV

Tag(s): christian

SOAKING and CHEWING--getting the Bible into the heart and out into life

Nehemiah 8

For the next three Tuesdays, TNBS is taking a short break from Isaiah* to look at five spiritual disciplines: bible reading, bible reflection, prayer, giving, and solitude. Tonight we look at bible reading and bible reflection. Sanctify--the ministry of which TNBS is a part--has looked at bible reflection (see Bible Chewing and Beyond here and here), but we're taking a second look in order to prepare a series of seminars for TFB.

Key Ideas

On to Nehemiah 8. The chapter is divided into two sections, signaled by time references [when the seventh month had come (7:73)...on the second day (8:13)]. The first part (8:1-12) focuses on large chunk reading of Scripture in a very large group and the second part (13-18) on smaller chunk study in a much smaller group.

Spiritual Formation Questions

• What is your current balance of large chunk reading and large chunk study of Scripture?
• How is TNBS working to help us understand Scripture?
• What should change?

* We are taking a break from Isaiah in order to devote an unbroken series of weeks to Isaiah 24-27.

Tag(s): spiritual formation nehemiah bible study bible reading

WHAT BLOCKS YOUR ENJOYMENT OF GOD?

Psalm 23

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Psalm 23:5

If the affections are not reflecting the reality of God's care for us, what might we say is at issue?

Since God is immutable and filled with grace and mercy, we may not say he does not care. The fault rests either in our affections (as not being adequately sensitive) or in our intellect (as not understanding reality). Affections may be desensitized by excessive external stimulation (crisis) or by the willing development of emotional callouses. The understanding may be blocked by an ill-informed or rebellious intellect. In both cases, the solution is truth. Truth informs the intellect and does surgery on the affections.

What blocks your enjoyment of God?

NOTES
When responding to enemies

• constantly remind yourself that justice is God's job
• forgive because God forgave you and because grudges first hurt the holder
• constantly remind yourself that God protects from irritation and heals wounds through (1) ecclesial connections in God, (2) blunt conversation with God, (3) declarative worship of God, and (4) service to others for the sake of God's name.
• constantly remind yourself that God satisfies to overflowing.
  

Tag(s): psalms "old testament" psalm 23

LEMON and PEPPER

Rev 1. Feedback added, 12/11

• Oat and egg white muffins, seasoned with black pepper FEEDBACK: These were amazingly good and simple; I'm thinking of making them a bit more fabulous by cooking the oats in beef stock, using a few egg yolks for some richness, and adding some home made NF cheese bits
• Mixed berries cooked with chardonnay, black pepper, and molasses; served with homemade NF lemon zest cheese FEEDBACK: downright yummy. The cheese came out (texture wise) a bit like Parmesan; I'll be making this one again
• Salad of red leaf lettuce, gala apples, and celery, served with rice vinegar and olive oil FEEDBACK: good stuff, though after day one, I gave up on the rice vinegar and olive oil (a bit to bland).
• Pasta with wild salmon and garbanzo beans, cooked in lemon whey and seafood stock FEEDBACK: So, I'll highly recommend cooking pasta in whey and stock--very rich, yet simple. Since I've decided to keep making the cheese, this looks like a staple--though I'm not doing pasta in future, so not sure what to cook in the whey.
• Spinach and egg white "muffins" FEEDBACK: They did not hold together as I'd hoped, but were quite tasty. I need to work on mechanics.

Tag(s): cooking recipes

SHOULD EVANGELICALS CELEBRATE ADVENT?

The Lighthouse Trails Research blog links to a USA Today article, "Evangelicals Adopting Advent." In the links below the linked article, provided so that the reader might "understand the significance of this story" are several writings critiquing the emerging church, contemplative spirituality, ecumenism, and ancient Christian practices. Having read the USA Today article and the first critique ("Home to Rome," by Roger Oakland), I ask the following:

• How is spiritually preparing yourself to celebrate the birth of the Messiah equivalent to heading "Home to Rome"?
• How does Advent go against Scripture?
• We have two biblically initiated celebrations: baptism and communion. Everything else is cultural. So, since Christmas is not a biblically-initiated celebration, why should we celebrate it at all?
• How should we go about developing biblically-sound rituals* for our celebration?

* ritual: "The prescribed order of a religious ceremony"

Tag(s): advent evangelicalism Evangelicals and Advent

IMMUTABILITY and STABILITY

Psalm 119:89-96

God's will: faithful, immutable, and sovereign--
ground of stability, of life, and of trust.

related post

Tag(s): "psalm 119" psalms "old testament"

sketchpad WHAT MAKES AN ECONOMIC SYSTEM ACCEPTABLE?

After reading essays or essay portions from Adam Smith, Karl Marx, John Kenneth Galbraith, Milton and Rose Friedman, and Robert B. Reich in World of Ideas, I have arrived at the following measure of acceptability:

• An acceptable economic system encourages human capacities to thrive, while it simultaneously restrains human evil.

Smith and the Friedmans were most acceptable by this measure and Marx was least acceptable.

• Smith’s economics encourages human capacities by providing opportunities for wealth and by understanding work as purposeful living. It restrains evil by allowing for the natural consequences of sin.
• The Friedmans’ economics encourages human capacities by reducing obstacles and insuring freedom. It restrains evil by maintaining small government and eliminating enslaving elitism.
• Marx’s economics fails to encourage human capacities by maintaining a form of thriving without purpose or freedom. It fails to restrain evil adequately by denying inherent sin, yet it correctly sees history as repairing some evils.

Tag(s): economics free market socialism

IN THE MEANTIME...wait and work

Yesterday, I turned in the last piece of my application for the PhD program of Talbot School of Theology. It is now out of my hands. In the meantime, I wait and work. I wait for an answer. Talbot is, at this moment, my first and only choice. The program itself--Educational Studies--and, even more critical, its setting at Biola, make this program optimal. Other bridges will be crossed when and if they present themselves. For now, I wait.

I also work. A big part of my research intent is based on a theological framework for education-formation drawn from Ephesians 4:7, 11-16. I've yet to fully formulate the framework--something that must be completed and hopefully published before next August. So for now, I work, studying and writing, studying and writing.

A few bits of this blog (and that one) reveal pieces of my thought process. Here on LW, the Spiritual Formation Experiment carries my ponderings on ecclesial connections and functioning persons (Eph 4:16). Over on WITWAW, the topic of ecclesiology is generally explored.

I welcome readers (even lurkers), but I covet conversation partners. Dear readers, you are welcome to be either.

Tag(s): phd christian education educational studies spiritual formation

QUANTUM THEORY--grasping the basics

My initial grasp of Quantum Theory posted over on the book blog.

Tag(s): polkinghorne quantum theory books

HOPE and TRUST

Key Ideas

• All of Judah's potential partners in a was against Assyria will fall. Her only hope is Yahweh.
• Yahweh punishes evildoers and disciplines his people, but he is also gracious and merciful: he delivers all who come to him in trust--even those once outside (and even against) his people.

Spiritual Formation Questions

Community Connections

• How can we of TNBS help each other hope and trust in God?

Functioning Persons

• Ask yourself: What barriers have I put up that hinder my hope and trust in God?
  

Tag(s): isaiah

REALIGNED or STAGNANT--What makes the difference?

Yesterday morning, as I sat on the brick patio in Arrowhead, the body of Christ known as TFB worshiped. They sang songs, gave money, and heard the word taught. Some left the gathering place realigned. Others just left. What makes the difference?

I daresay, intention is some of it--maybe most. We can chalk up our stagnation to circumstances, distractions, opposition, and a host of more creative excuses, but the truth is, none of these truly hinders our submission to and love for God. This does not mean these are not real and sometimes significant; it simply means that choice determines how we interpret our perspective.