tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76032650762270186142024-02-21T03:53:05.241-06:00Missio DeiJasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-57735944274942195972011-04-04T13:56:00.003-05:002011-04-04T14:06:43.015-05:00Reading Outside of Christian Literature<span style="font-family: arial;">There is a great post today over on <a href="http://www.challies.com/about/about-this-blog">Tim Challies</a>' blog giving a rationale for why Christians should read beyond their holy huddle of trusted Christian authors. While readily confessing that reading Christian authors is a good thing (<span style="font-style: italic;">and I certainly agree</span>) Challies challenges us to read outside of this narrow sliver of published works. He gives 4 basic reasons for this encouragement.<br /><br />1) Common Grace<br /><br />2) Cultural Engagement<br /><br />3) To practice discernment<br /><br />4) There is much to learn</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Read more of his rationale <a href="http://www.challies.com/christian-living/why-christians-should-read-in-the-mainstream#more">here</a>.</span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-17242693674499489892011-02-22T16:04:00.005-06:002011-02-22T16:39:31.030-06:00And on a more personal note...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8slhwfY5NClLrWDB79416vJ4IBlUS45qySTErcCx0niKVx3bUh5FdNXIorB92IKQzNfGQfi2TKJn_KACainBkLDq6DbGbUcbrSrhkbVFHgq_9ymKXX-EwoMjcm95D22FE9uPZoS9SYqE/s1600/IMG00007-20101123-1811.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8slhwfY5NClLrWDB79416vJ4IBlUS45qySTErcCx0niKVx3bUh5FdNXIorB92IKQzNfGQfi2TKJn_KACainBkLDq6DbGbUcbrSrhkbVFHgq_9ymKXX-EwoMjcm95D22FE9uPZoS9SYqE/s320/IMG00007-20101123-1811.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576640530285602866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Psalm 127:3 </span></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:arial;"> Behold, children are a heritage from the </span><span class="small-caps" style="font-family:arial;">Lord</span><span style="font-family:arial;">,</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> the fruit of the womb a reward.</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br />I was praying with my children last night. Well, that’s the way the pastor side of me would like to start this story, though in reality it isn’t really the full truth. Allow me to start over.</span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /><br />One of my daughters was defiantly disobeying her father’s instruction last night just before bed-time. Well, that’s the self-righteous side of me which would like to offer justification for being a harsh and unloving father. Crud. I guess I’ll try this again.</span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /><br />I lost my temper and was unkind to one of my children last night. Yep, that’s pretty much it. With that confession out of the way, here is<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Harvey"> Paul Harvey’s “rest of the story”</a>.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPP-AeOsxvRTAr0tY90Zj4OXD_vqYknPhyGQhqehRloPDM8V0YP3p851itu3FK8jMIMBrYXphuBlkXJ18FpBPgJKjQovGNNV81_nGIKEi2wF5luV6hs8ECmIlPKvit4SGPWy1PfjmPs0/s1600/IMG00312.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPP-AeOsxvRTAr0tY90Zj4OXD_vqYknPhyGQhqehRloPDM8V0YP3p851itu3FK8jMIMBrYXphuBlkXJ18FpBPgJKjQovGNNV81_nGIKEi2wF5luV6hs8ECmIlPKvit4SGPWy1PfjmPs0/s320/IMG00312.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576641298295117042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">As we were preparing the children for bed-time last night things were running along nicely for the most part. The 5 year old was down in his room after an afternoon of hard playing at the park, the 2 year old was headed towards an appointment with “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goodnight-Moon-Margaret-Wise-Brown/dp/0694003611">Goodnight Moon</a>” and I was working with the 9 and 8 year old to get them in bed. </span></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br />It was a later night than usual for several reasons and I was feeling the pressure of finishing up so that I could have at least a brief conversation with my wife before she herself lost coherency and succumbed to her own exhaustion. Man, there I go again. That isn’t really true either. Actually I was attempting to rush the whole bed time thing because <a href="http://www.cbs.com/primetime/hawaii_five_0/">Hawaii Five-0</a> was coming on and I wanted to turn my brain off for a while. <span style="font-style: italic;">(If you haven't seen this re-make, you really don't need many brain cells to keep up with the plot. Which, after years of brain cramps caused by </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_%28TV_series%29">LOST</a><span style="font-style: italic;">, is actually somewhat refreshing.)</span></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /><br />So the harder I worked towards getting them in the bed, the more excuses they found to not do what I was asking. The 9 year old eventually pursued one superfluous chore too many and I lost it. Now before you call the church office or DHR, understand that I am not much of a yeller. My “loosing it” is actually fairly steady and even keel, and I used to take great pride in that fact. In actuality however, the older I get the more I see how I can be just as destructive and unloving in my “steadiness” as any rage-a-holic. May God’s gracious process of sanctification continue in my own heart.</span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /><br />After registering my displeasure with my daughter’s disobedience in a less than fatherly and loving way, I noticed her face slowly beginning to distort. It was that distinct facial contortion of a little girl who feels that tears may be just around the corner, but they don’t want to give you the satisfaction of seeing them. It was the face of one who had received a deep wound. And as is often the case, the wound was too deep and the feminine childhood hormones were too powerful for her to hold back the flood.</span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /><br />At this point, not knowing what to do with the explosion of female emotion (and in reality which of us men really does?), I asked my 8 year old daughter to begin her night-time prayers. Now for all my faults as a father, God really has actually blessed me with children who are fairly spiritually mature. My 8 year old, having just witnessed this entire scene, proceeds to pray a Spirit-filled prayer for forgiveness and reconciliation which filleted my chest wide open, and exposed my heart to the Gospel once again. By the time she reached her “amen” I could do nothing else but repent, ask forgiveness and seek reconciliation.</span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /><br />For her part, the 9 year old confessed her lack of obedience and attempted to take the blame for the whole scene. In her words, if she had not disobeyed then I would not have spoken angrily to her. Thankfully the Holy Spirit spoke with a wisdom which I do not often possess. Under Divine guidance I complimented her valiant attempt at martyrdom and thanked her for her sensitivity, but refused to allow her to take the blame for my own sin. In the end forgiveness was requested and given all around and relationship was restored.</span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br /><br />For all of the chaos of the evening, the three of us ended up in a 20 minute conversation ranging from original sin, forgiveness, the necessity of Jesus’ crucifixion and the mystery of the Trinity. I walked out of their room amazed at both the goodness of God and the depth of a child’s understanding.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72V0MabHsXissH4sy24wZ5MHQHL1RpMDme1Wy0gfhgOYdRzeSao_pM6ftdsEyb_j5uEWNcp5lqkv4qjJo8Rx4boTM2Dm7VwOMK-LmneaEcDciUCxivsPTQKAEfeGm0cFVrndvcnJ5bgY/s1600/IMG00311.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72V0MabHsXissH4sy24wZ5MHQHL1RpMDme1Wy0gfhgOYdRzeSao_pM6ftdsEyb_j5uEWNcp5lqkv4qjJo8Rx4boTM2Dm7VwOMK-LmneaEcDciUCxivsPTQKAEfeGm0cFVrndvcnJ5bgY/s320/IMG00311.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576641302933224754" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">I really wish these kinds of moments happened more often. I pray that I would be able to quickly see my own sin and repent boldly in front of my children. If this occurs, then perhaps they, through watching my fumbling example, would be able to grow up with a healthy understanding of both severity of their own sin and totality of their forgiveness in Christ. And in so doing, maybe they would begin to grasp the absolute necessity of casting themselves in weakness upon the only One who can truly redeem broken things. Judging by their example last evening, they certainly seem to be on the right track.</span></span></span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-35880111343399627332011-01-27T09:43:00.004-06:002011-01-27T10:03:55.713-06:00LookUp316.com<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSq8ERyMk2oGYX7M2FnBq_T-DYLXpOP1xeE34pqid41P7K6H4N5y7BrK1lDZIjj_PcwYwJhjH5bsy40TpEsVPMVtCerQzYGv4YF1FEMkbmoogOhhTFnIIO-3QUXsKyUwCiHWgHxev43jQ/s1600/stadiumsky_home.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSq8ERyMk2oGYX7M2FnBq_T-DYLXpOP1xeE34pqid41P7K6H4N5y7BrK1lDZIjj_PcwYwJhjH5bsy40TpEsVPMVtCerQzYGv4YF1FEMkbmoogOhhTFnIIO-3QUXsKyUwCiHWgHxev43jQ/s320/stadiumsky_home.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566894976740033122" border="0" /></a><br />Over at The <a href="http://www.fixed-point.org/">Fixed Point Foundation</a>, Executive Director Larry Taunton has an interesting initiative going on. He and others have spent the past year marshaling resources and creative talent to create a Super Bowl commercial highlighting, not beer, not potato chips, not a political agenda, but rather the simple hope of the gospel articulated in John 3:16.<br /><br />You can hear Larry talk about the motivating vision behind this initiative <a href="http://fixed-point.org/index.php/lookup316">here</a>.<br /><br />He also discusses this in a little more detail over on his blog in a post entitled "<a href="http://fixed-point.org/index.php/blog">Finding God at the Super Bowl</a>.<br /><br />After the game on February 6th, you should be able to catch the commercial on the website for this initiative entitled <a href="http://lookup316.com/">LookUp316.com</a>.<br /><br />Oh yeah, and extra bonus points to whoever can catch how many <a href="http://www.oakmountainchurch.org/">Oak Mountain Church</a> members show up as extras in this commercial!Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-2900440648400969942010-12-15T11:04:00.002-06:002010-12-15T11:09:04.135-06:00The Entrepreneurship Initiative<a href="http://www.faithandwork.org/ei">The Entrepreneurship Initiative.</a> Using business and entrepreneurship as a vessel through which the Gospel might renew and build culture anew. All I have to say is "Wow." <br /><br /><object width="400" height="227"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3765126&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=ffffff&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3765126&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=ffffff&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="227"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/3765126">EI Overview</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/redeemernyc">Redeemer Video</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-65320729705317130072010-11-15T13:53:00.002-06:002010-11-15T14:04:29.836-06:00The Four Holy Gospels<span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Wow! <a href="http://www.makotofujimura.com/">Makoto Fujimura</a> discussing his work for the forthcoming illuminated manuscript </span><a href="http://www.crossway.org/bibles/the-four-holy-gospels-1370-fab/"><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">The Four Holy Gospels</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;">.</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">ht <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/11/15/makoto-fujimura-this-is-what-i-will-be-remembered-by/">Justin Taylor</a></span><br /><br /><br /><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/16501697?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=ffffff" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/16501697">Fujimura - 4 Holy Gospels</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/crosswaymedia">Crossway</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p><br /><br /><blockquote>"<span style="font-style: italic;">We today have a language to celebrate waywardness but we do not have a language, a cultural language, to bring people back home. And so everything I do, my paintings, the </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.internationalartsmovement.org/">International Arts Movement</a><span style="font-style: italic;">, everything has something to do with that</span>." ~ Makoto Fujimura<br /></blockquote>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-49751339156291930652010-11-04T16:01:00.002-05:002010-11-04T16:04:25.405-05:00The Reason for God DVD SeriesLooking for a model of how to interact with non-believers over their questions regarding Christianity? Take a look below.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;">ht <a href="http://www.challies.com/resources/tim-keller-on-dvd">Tim Challies</a></span></span><br /><br /><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/14212404?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/14212404">The Reason for God Trailer</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/redeemerctc">Redeemer City to City</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-43386216843401931612010-10-19T18:30:00.006-05:002010-10-19T18:51:43.436-05:00Who's Game?I have mentioned <a href="http://www.joesplacestl.org/">Joe's Place</a> in <a href="http://missiodeibham.blogspot.com/2009/04/joes-place.html">a previous post</a>. Joe's Place is a collaboration between <a href="http://www.crossroadspres.com/">Crossroads Fellowship</a>, a PCA congregation in Maplewood, MO, and the <a href="http://www.mrhsd.org/">Maplewood Richmond Heights School District</a> to address the very real issue of homelessness among the student population.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO9PJ0ulZwY&feature=player_embedded">Click here</a> to see an updated glimpse into their story.<br /><br />I have also mentioned in <a href="http://missiodeibham.blogspot.com/2009/04/surely-empty-tomb-calls-us-to-more-than.html">a previous post</a> that <a href="http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/04/in_citys_schools_12_percent_ar.html#more">12% of Birmingham City School students are listed as homeless</a>. So who's game?Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-69136590261149292192010-10-15T06:09:00.001-05:002010-10-15T06:09:00.297-05:00How did Jesus prayed for us to live?Don't let the soft voice and the gentlemanly British accent disguise these powerful words encouraging us to live in light of how Jesus prayed for us to live from His High Priestly Prayer found in John 17.<br /><br /><object width="640" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wh1ZPeMa6CA&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wh1ZPeMa6CA&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="640" height="390"></embed></object>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-17936839654850620272010-10-12T06:39:00.000-05:002010-10-12T06:39:00.289-05:00What she said.<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/14801363" width="400" frameborder="0" height="225"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/14801363">Art House Dallas</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1469436">Charlie peacock</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-15444204304051491772010-10-08T06:29:00.001-05:002010-10-08T06:29:00.558-05:00More Context<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg437GXtQKEMffTd4ef3FduSuJ5WBAXYoxEpqLK1ZYT2GNZpGEE8VJl4Aqkff2hWq2VM3LyOqObZPRvLmHH5xaKwCqBZPmr2rHpp7_YE5jubX9S55JSlY_hl4NKW2dDCATMB6pBqDBWwd8/s1600/HS+photo+m.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg437GXtQKEMffTd4ef3FduSuJ5WBAXYoxEpqLK1ZYT2GNZpGEE8VJl4Aqkff2hWq2VM3LyOqObZPRvLmHH5xaKwCqBZPmr2rHpp7_YE5jubX9S55JSlY_hl4NKW2dDCATMB6pBqDBWwd8/s320/HS+photo+m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525041444396921410" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://missiodeibham.blogspot.com/2010/10/context-is-everything.html">this past Tuesday</a><span style="font-family: arial;">, in response to reflecting upon my recent 20th year high school reunion, I mentioned that a subject, removed from its original context, has a much higher possibility of being misunderstood. This whole concept of a proper comprehension of context leading to a proper understanding of reality eventually got me to thinking about Western evangelicalism's representation of “the gospel”. (Completely logical tie-in, don’t you think?)</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />While I have linked a </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://missiodeibham.blogspot.com/2009/04/reductionism-of-cross.html">brief discussion on this subject</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> before, it bears repeating that “the gospel” which many well-meaning, faithful saints define as “Jesus Christ died for my sins”, is in fact a statement removed from its larger, Biblical context. Because this statement of Gospel has been removed and separated from its greater context, a complete understanding of its proper interpretation and application runs the unnecessary risk of being hindered.</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.crpc.org/about/pastor-tullians-story">Tullian Tchividjian</a><span style="font-family: arial;">, senior pastor of </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.crpc.org/">Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church</a><span style="font-family: arial;">, speaks to this idea of a larger context in a </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/may/18.28.html?start=1">2009 Christianity Today article</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> where he states that,</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /></span><blockquote><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >"The gospel is not simply the story of Christ dying on the cross for sinners. It also involves Christ rising again as the first fruits that will eventually make all things new. There is a universal dimension to the gospel."</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></blockquote><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A similar sentiment is repeated from another corner of the Evangelical world by </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.profrah.com/about.html">Soong-Chan Rah</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> in his challenging book, “</span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Next-Evangelicalism-Freeing-Cultural-Captivity/dp/0830833609">The Next Evangelicalism: Freeing the Church from Western Cultural Captivity</a><span style="font-family: arial;">”. In his chapter on individualism Rah says that,</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span><blockquote><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“Our understanding of salvation is contingent upon how we view what we are being saved from, namely sin and it’s consequences. When sin is limited to the individual realm and does not extend to the corporate realm, our understanding of salvation is also limited to the individual realm. Sin, therefore, is found only in the individual, not in structures and systems. The possibility of redemption, therefore, is also limited exclusively to the individual. A relationship with God limited to the private and individual realm ultimately limits our experience with God.”</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></blockquote><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In other words, we need to look at a context much larger than the individual in order to properly understand the subject of the gospel. Again, a subject, removed from its original context, has a much higher possibility of being misunderstood. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />The Gospel is not a “get out of Hell free” card lying upon the grand Monopoly board of life. As long as you pick up the card, you can then go on living however you want. If you ever do get into trouble, just whip out your handy card and all is good. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />The Gospel is not simply something that sinful heathens need so that they can become “good Christians” like the rest of us “upstanding church folk”. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />No, the Gospel is a story, with implications both for the believer as well as the non-believer. That is not to say that it is merely a story, in some diminutive sense, but it is a story nonetheless. </span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.covenantseminary.edu/faculty/michael.williams/">Michael Williams</a><span style="font-family: arial;">, author, theologian and Professor of Systematic Theology at </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.covenantseminary.edu/">Covenant Theological Seminary</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> says it this way in his 2005 publication entitled “</span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.amazon.com/Far-As-Curse-Found-Redemption/dp/0875525105">Far as the Curse is Found: The Covenant Story of Redemption</a><span style="font-family: arial;">”</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;">.<br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span><blockquote><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">“The Bible as a whole is best understood as a story or drama. To be sure, the Bible does more than tell a story. Scripture includes psalms, proverbs, songs, prayers, moral instruction and doctrinal reflection. But what holds all of it together, what makes it a unified revelation is the storyline, what theologians often call the drama of redemption. The nonnarrative pieces fit into and make sense only within their appropriate contexts in the biblical storyline.”</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></blockquote><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">What we are talking about is an amazing, mind-blowing, borderline absurd grand narrative beginning in eternity past when God, within the wisdom of his own counsel and at the initiation of his own sovereign will decided to speak creation into being. He created all things in a set period of time and then pronounced over what he had created that it was good, very good even. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />It was into this good creation that an Evil came and fractured what was good and right. In Genesis 3 we read the historical account of perfect creation, lost; perfect relational connection, lost; between man and woman, between humanity and its God. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />Lost. Broken. Fallen.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />Yet immediately following, we are introduced to the coming next chapter. In Genesis 3:15 we see the announced coming of One, referred to as the offspring or seed of the woman who will come and bruise the head of the serpent. Far beyond a mythical back story explaining why humans and snakes haven’t historically gotten along, what we witness here is the iron clad promise of One who is coming, this seed of the woman, who will ultimately defeat the serpent. This language of “offspring” is picked up again within a few short verses in Genesis 4:25 referring to the birth of Eve’s son, Seth.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />Have you ever wondered why all of those genealogies are in the Bible? For example, you have Genesis 5, tracing the line of Adam and Seth through to Noah and his son Shem. Then picking up in Genesis 11 we trace Shem through to Terah, who was the father of Abram. Arriving much later at the New Testament, the very first thing we read in Matthew 1 is another genealogy! This time Matthew picks up with Abraham, who has had his name changed from Abram, and traces a direct link through 16 verses to Joseph, the husband of Mary.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />So what’s the point? The point is that from the very beginning, we are heading towards Matthew 1:18, the birth of the long ago promised offspring of the woman as the cure for a disease which began in Genesis 3:15. The story we get from Genesis and the rest of the Pentateuch through the historical books, prophets and poetry of the Old Testament, point us towards that which is clearly articulated in the Gospels and subsequent pages of the New Testament. This Promised One is coming, not simply to give people a game board piece or to enable individuals who need a little extra push towards morality in order to be made fully whole. Rather, He is coming to defeat the serpent and to reverse, ultimately in its totality, the effects of that which was lost in the Fall. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />This is a message far greater than the self help, Oprah spiritualism that masquerades as gospel in some communities of faith today. </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />What is God doing? He is telling us a story with one repetitive plotline. Things, people, creation, it’s all broken and He is about the business of restoring broken things to their proper, pre-fall places. Rather than an individualistic story of therapeutic feel-good, we are talking about nothing short of God’s reconciliation of all things to Himself through Jesus Christ.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">In the next post in this series on context, we will seek to look at the “so what” implications of all of this and why it makes any difference at all in the way we live our lives.</span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-29766751130620924802010-10-05T16:41:00.002-05:002010-10-05T17:03:58.144-05:00Context is Everything<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsWjJ4ezs0OyP856D1uxgX8Uv7JjiKuR_OjkIwq-rVXtPVB9GnZPR1bOi32m9gMuFZ5QHlHU8QNU0xcGhdS4xHy0OSZ6PaieHQ6F8xbSRK1AP7bZKaDPQHC76X93gi4vKrzy_VkFgDkM/s1600/SWHS+class+of+1991.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsWjJ4ezs0OyP856D1uxgX8Uv7JjiKuR_OjkIwq-rVXtPVB9GnZPR1bOi32m9gMuFZ5QHlHU8QNU0xcGhdS4xHy0OSZ6PaieHQ6F8xbSRK1AP7bZKaDPQHC76X93gi4vKrzy_VkFgDkM/s320/SWHS+class+of+1991.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524680684185921522" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Over this past weekend I attended my 20th high school reunion. Honestly, it has placed me in a rather contemplative mood. There has been much taking stock and self-analyzing introspection, some of which I have had to toss and some of which has actually been pretty healthy.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">To my wife (for whom I will not reveal which of her reunions we last attended, mainly because she knows where I sleep, unguarded and defenseless) this was one of the first times she had spent any extended time around this group of people with whom I shared much of my formative youth.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Afterwards, as we were driving away, having spent many hours reliving old war stories and laughing at tales of youth and immaturity (some of which I pray my children never, ever hear about) I asked her for her observations on the day.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />“There was a lot of storytelling,” she replied. She went on to explain that at her last reunion (which shall remain numerically unidentified) she and her classmates spent much of their time catching up on life since graduation. They spoke of marriage, kids, careers, etc. With my class, however, we spent the majority of our time simply reliving the tales of a shared childhood, reflecting on a common heritage and experience. </span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;">5 random things my wife better understands about me after having attended my 20th reunion:</span></span><br /></div><ol><li><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Why I like country music so much. (including why I know the words to every <a href="http://www.hankjr.com/home/">Hank Jr</a>. song ever written.)</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Why I have a serious aversion to certain beverages.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Why I can dance slightly better than the average (suburban, white, PCA) bear. (Thanks Roiant)</span><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Why I should never, ever be trusted around unattended, classic muscle cars with keys in the ignition. (Sorry Lee. But, man, that car could fly.)</span><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Why I still, after all these years, enjoy watching re-runs of “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dukes_of_Hazzard">The Dukes of Hazzard</a>”. (<a href="http://www.cmt.com/shows/dyn/dukes_of_hazzard/series.jhtml">CMT</a>, I owe you a debt of gratitude I could never repay. P.S. my wife hates you.)</span><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></li></ol><span style="font-family: arial;">What Susie received, as an outsider to this group, was a context which illuminated a greater understanding of the whole. In short, by taking in the greater context, she walked away with a greater understanding of her husband. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />A subject, removed from its original context, has a much higher possibility of being misunderstood.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />Honestly, all of this may completely bore you to death. In reality, however, acknowledging the relationship between right context and right understanding is vital to our overall comprehension of, well, pretty much everything.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Coming up next:</span> I will attempt the intellectual, acrobatic high-wire act of connecting the above, quasi-ridiculous article with a somewhat more serious discussion of how an inadequate comprehension of Biblical context has led to an incomplete understanding of and application of the Gospel.</span><br /><br /></span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-28699971919383088642010-09-27T16:46:00.004-05:002010-09-27T17:19:07.743-05:00Wedgwood Circle, a unique take on patronage<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8NrQqNh5B1IqCIT2K8V0f4tKwUtBOV_NtujGzlF5Z908SvhgHFOpg354S_cVYW6k55RXh85XPESMmhPzaAbRXr_OAwmZPL6fTjSDecmaofhWmQQTSeD0n0x_nGoGogv9nMyib9MFvmRs/s1600/401px-Mona_Lisa.jpeg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8NrQqNh5B1IqCIT2K8V0f4tKwUtBOV_NtujGzlF5Z908SvhgHFOpg354S_cVYW6k55RXh85XPESMmhPzaAbRXr_OAwmZPL6fTjSDecmaofhWmQQTSeD0n0x_nGoGogv9nMyib9MFvmRs/s320/401px-Mona_Lisa.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521720342878979298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />It has become increasingly popular (thankfully, in my humble opinion) in Christian circles to speak positively of creating Art and culture, and of doing so from a uniquely Christian perspective. From pastors such as <a href="http://vimeo.com/11622846">Tim Keller</a>, <a href="http://www.culture-making.com/about/andy_crouch/">Andy Crouch</a>, <a href="http://scottysmith.org/about/">Scotty Smith</a> and others who ultimately stand upon the towering shoulders of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Art-Bible-Essays-LAbri-Pamphlets/dp/0877844437">Francis Schaeffer</a> to artists like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkEQS5SJZPU">Bono</a>, <a href="http://www.andrew-peterson.com/index.php">Andrew Peterson</a>, <a href="http://www.michaelcard.com/">Michael Card,</a> <a href="http://www.arthouseamerica.com/about/">Charlie Peacock</a>, <a href="http://www.makotofujimura.com/">Makoto Fujimura</a>, etc., many are promoting creativity as a mimicry of the Divine and the creation of beauty as a valid avenue of bringing glory to the ultimate King of Glory. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />There are also some who are beginning to address the issue of creating environments of creativity, caring not only about the end product, the art, but also caring well for the artists. Wrapped up in this larger discussion is the interesting aspect of caring for artists by purposefully developing a market for their art. In other words, if artists are to thrive and help us as a society “see” what few in our increasingly frantic culture have the time or trained eye to see, then we must think through the creation of avenues by which artists may earn an actual living wage for their work. In other words, we are talking about the revival of a system of <a href="http://www.faithandwork.org/patronage">patronage</a>. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /><a href="http://wedgwoodcircle.com/why_wedgwood/">Wedgwood Circle</a> is one particular group pursuing just this kind of endeavor. Check them out. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />If you are anything like me, your reaction will probably follow a similar path. Mild confusion – elementary understanding – utter disbelief – growing excitement – an uncontrollable urge to initiate something similar – an uncomfortable reminder that I am not, nor do I know any “high net worth investors” – low level depression – reminder that it is ultimately God who is the Author of all good things – and then my final arrival at a place of dependence upon the Lord to do what He will. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />(Why must I always go through such emotional gymnastics before I arrive at dependence upon and rest in Him? Oh well, yet more evidence that I have not yet arrived. Man, and I thought the whole seminary degree had taken care of that one.)</span></span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-38057390208378626782010-09-16T11:24:00.008-05:002010-09-16T14:13:47.270-05:00Deep thoughts about Puerto Rican food<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCujaxAwdofkaTdul6vkg9Jfl9ChOishxz5wHv2aC0qWnotfnrR_JXR_OW1nal_x1CWCjYNnKYNgIbo6Ukq5Qgf32wesTX1P_O-CoJ8OVLRWyWoKBqUjp3mKzZmNk0BbxpVxrZkBV2q8Y/s1600/jason+and+susie.jpg"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9e1m50sAxfhrvvz8BIWrT6jJ6sxLB96sn7lWAfB1cFRNkbDcUKEhEnMmZymTVNwOS2lL1nEqP8FEtoMqCKYMq1J7oj9MZIwI_AFK7rM0a345hTZ1ABaZJY_bowEyZI2PNQWzERGcVPI/s1600/arroz_con_gandules-600x450.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9e1m50sAxfhrvvz8BIWrT6jJ6sxLB96sn7lWAfB1cFRNkbDcUKEhEnMmZymTVNwOS2lL1nEqP8FEtoMqCKYMq1J7oj9MZIwI_AFK7rM0a345hTZ1ABaZJY_bowEyZI2PNQWzERGcVPI/s320/arroz_con_gandules-600x450.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517550517294108098" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">I like </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.elboricua.com/arroz_con_gandules.html">arroz con gandules</a><span style="font-family:arial;">.</span></span></span> <span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br />I know that sounds strange coming from a white guy who grew up in South-west Alabama, especially since most people don’t even know what </span></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >arroz con gandules</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" > is. Basically it is a rice-based dish from Puerto Rico made with pigeon peas. Every family function or special occasion includes this, the unofficial national dish of the island. And it is heavenly. Mmmm.</span> <span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br />I also particularly like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mofongo">mofongo</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#%21/album.php?aid=142716&id=716929383">lechon</a>, both traditional Puerto Rican dishes. There is actually much about Puerto Rican food and culture that I love dearly. </span> <span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br />I love the island and its slower pace of life. I love the people with their celebratory lifestyles. Absolutely everything is an opportunity to throw a party. And the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HbCt6nXsv4">music</a>! I am firmly convinced that the true, complete and pleasing worship of the Triune God will never be fully realized until we begin writing more worship music with merengue and salsa rhythms. (said tongue planted only partially in cheek)</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">So how does a slightly red-neckish guy from LA (that would be lower Alabama) come to love the food, culture and rhythms of a small Caribbean island like Puerto Rico? </span><br /></span><br /></span> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCujaxAwdofkaTdul6vkg9Jfl9ChOishxz5wHv2aC0qWnotfnrR_JXR_OW1nal_x1CWCjYNnKYNgIbo6Ukq5Qgf32wesTX1P_O-CoJ8OVLRWyWoKBqUjp3mKzZmNk0BbxpVxrZkBV2q8Y/s1600/jason+and+susie.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCujaxAwdofkaTdul6vkg9Jfl9ChOishxz5wHv2aC0qWnotfnrR_JXR_OW1nal_x1CWCjYNnKYNgIbo6Ukq5Qgf32wesTX1P_O-CoJ8OVLRWyWoKBqUjp3mKzZmNk0BbxpVxrZkBV2q8Y/s320/jason+and+susie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517557444020398290" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Well, in short, I fell in love with all of these things because I love a Puerto Rican. My wife was born in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan,_Puerto_Rico">San Juan</a> and much of her family still lives both in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%ADo_Piedras,_Puerto_Rico">Rio Piedras</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caguas,_Puerto_Rico">Caguas</a>. Though she grew up much of her life in the States, when you stepped through the front door of her family’s home, you were in Puerto Rico. It is because of my love and intense affection for a particular person that I have become enamored with and have begun to develop at least an elementary understanding of the culture of a particular people.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />And this concept got me thinking. If there are particular cultures or people groups towards whom I display a lack of understanding or even affection, could at least part of the reason be because I have not loved particular people well?<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">Rather than the fault being with “them”, and you can fill in your own blank with whoever this might be for you. It may be a particular racial group (Hispanics for example or maybe African-Americans), a certain segment of society, (maybe the mentally ill), a specific socio-economic group (perhaps the poor or maybe even the very rich), a particular affinity group (artistic types or free thinkers). Whoever our specific group may be, rather than finding fault with “them” for not conforming to our standards of whatever is “normative”, perhaps the weight of the matter rests upon the sad fact that we simply have not loved well.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />I love Puerto Rico because I love a Puerto Rican. And it is because of my love for a Puerto Rican that a more fully orbed picture of the true Kingdom of God has been opened before me. A Kingdom that includes God-glorifying things like arroz con gandules and Merengue.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />We are told in Scripture that there is coming A Day when we will all see this carried out to it’s fullest conclusion, when the King of Glory returns and people…<br /></span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br />“<span style="font-style: italic;">from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages [stand] before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and [cry] out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!</span>”</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />And when I picture this scene from Revelation 7, with no intended irreverence at all, I can’t help but hear the multitudes sing with a slightly Latin-infused rhythm. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.</span></span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-73689995729287112092010-08-12T06:25:00.000-05:002010-08-12T06:25:00.936-05:00Oak Mountain and La Quemada in the news<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzdgZq29mpcHnf8pQgg8v45HGGt5wwwMt_WPthmSifc24HPkg_7mMzarGeAfuFffo72hRohEiWm0yrX1yR5QJ4XXFZi0NzqJp9hnEUvfNEq65qvEgoAP2YdlTazscztNccmGEeypsES0/s1600/La+Quemada+3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzdgZq29mpcHnf8pQgg8v45HGGt5wwwMt_WPthmSifc24HPkg_7mMzarGeAfuFffo72hRohEiWm0yrX1yR5QJ4XXFZi0NzqJp9hnEUvfNEq65qvEgoAP2YdlTazscztNccmGEeypsES0/s320/La+Quemada+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501225893203049298" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.oakmountainchurch.org/">Oak Mountain Church</a> is part of a larger community of people seeking to bring the light of the gospel into a world darkened by drugs, gangs, prostitution and abject poverty. And one of the coolest parts? This is <a href="http://missiodeibham.blogspot.com/2009/06/la-quemada.html">not simply a one-time event </a>motivated by a particular populations appeasement of their "affluent guilt" complex. There are a group of <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Birmingham-AL/OMPC-Hispanic-Ministry/94017462574?ref=ts">passionate, long-term committed, relational, sold-out-for-the-sake-of-the-nations type of people</a> who are down here on a regular basis meeting the needs, not of "poor, helpless people" but of <a href="http://missiodeibham.blogspot.com/2009/02/outreach-and-image-of-god.html">individuals created in the image of God</a>, fellow image bearers.<br /><br />Check out local news coverage of one recent event <a href="http://www.cbs42.com/content/localnews/story/Cleaning-Up-La-Quemada/yM3dYejIrUSo2MJa7b_6Dw.cspx?rss=1659">here.</a>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-85150563373840359532010-08-09T19:01:00.000-05:002010-08-09T19:01:00.124-05:00Loving Well<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHUb_JbUMGU7WSlJtgWY1dTuBfAKMFHtP09FJf4qipyxgVNa7N8TduE4fdiTj-wU7vFuwmF0CkJdxuQUhw3XFuJOYKxvPHgm4MHiMn-4qa9ydaHhfr4Gm1CJ1lWU0pFhdelmiZrtraBs/s1600/Scott+and+Alison.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHUb_JbUMGU7WSlJtgWY1dTuBfAKMFHtP09FJf4qipyxgVNa7N8TduE4fdiTj-wU7vFuwmF0CkJdxuQUhw3XFuJOYKxvPHgm4MHiMn-4qa9ydaHhfr4Gm1CJ1lWU0pFhdelmiZrtraBs/s320/Scott+and+Alison.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499439844706265298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />Scott and Alison Herron are friends that Susie and I got to know during our time in St. Louis. The Herron's currently live in Bentonville, Arkansas where Scott teaches high school. They have jobs, kids, responsibilities, in short, they have a full plate.<br /><br />Not too long ago, Alison felt the Lord leading her to invite Marie, a young woman having a tough time, into their home and to provide her with stability, mentoring, friendship, a shoulder to cry on (and with). In short, Scott and Alison decided to love well.<br /><br />This is <a href="http://marieisler10.blogspot.com/2010/07/and-then-there-was-alison.html">a snapshot of the story</a> from Marie's point of view.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkPq_ec7GCF8v9sXUQ_mNif2ASfExJDNkplDOkPLTlFx2Kl3TsFX70bEDenpE6lQmXkvdFfby0mmZ4nyTTyBrOU2f1UiwgcBhU3FYvEyQ1ApAYhxHQ1zqu1JTWC0cmNZzo7DrevA_5cY/s1600/14568_1261575536282_1136513453_821495_5933671_n.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkPq_ec7GCF8v9sXUQ_mNif2ASfExJDNkplDOkPLTlFx2Kl3TsFX70bEDenpE6lQmXkvdFfby0mmZ4nyTTyBrOU2f1UiwgcBhU3FYvEyQ1ApAYhxHQ1zqu1JTWC0cmNZzo7DrevA_5cY/s320/14568_1261575536282_1136513453_821495_5933671_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499439949164073458" border="0" /></a></span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-72399573558250067572010-08-05T07:35:00.000-05:002010-08-05T07:35:00.776-05:00Art House America<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMEF-BH6hASNVYwtopcLmN_AHCtGpLpZSqEOrZjHqcrAqCANk7vyzLBpM5rg04hJbv5ERxQeCq9dSwZ1qA5H_kYtESX_bKtVcLZTS2gXXhNqDQXK1WyePUBBFPCE8Td-jz8NFQdU14KQ/s1600/Arthouse+America.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 247px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMEF-BH6hASNVYwtopcLmN_AHCtGpLpZSqEOrZjHqcrAqCANk7vyzLBpM5rg04hJbv5ERxQeCq9dSwZ1qA5H_kYtESX_bKtVcLZTS2gXXhNqDQXK1WyePUBBFPCE8Td-jz8NFQdU14KQ/s320/Arthouse+America.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499414296402832242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Begun by <a href="http://www.cardus.ca/comment/article/709">Andi Ashworth</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=76436395029&ref=ts#%21/group.php?gid=76436395029&v=wall&ref=ts">Charlie Peacock </a>in Nashville, TN, <a href="http://www.arthouseamerica.com/about/">Art House America</a> seeks to "cultivate creative community for the common good".</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">The following quote from Charlie's article <a href="http://www.arthouseamerica.com/blog/creative-community-for-the-common-good.html">Creative Community for the Common Good</a> sums up their vision fairly nicely. </span><br /><br /><blockquote><span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Like a farm that nurtures good health, Art House America is in the business of cultivating creative people who bring good health to people and planet. Sometimes these creative people are artists in the most traditional sense — makers of music, theater, films, dance, paintings, and metalwork. You know the kind. With the word “art” in our name you know we take this seriously. Just as important, though, is our work of encouraging everyone, in everything, to live imaginative and meaningful lives. We really do believe that every human being is made to be a creative contributor, to play his or her role in the artful, meaningful life of caring for people and planet. We really do believe, along with C.S. Lewis, that the imagination is the “organ of meaning,” and that its fruit is creativity of every kind. </span><br /></span></blockquote><span style="font-family:arial;">This is also similar to what many here at <a href="http://www.oakmountainchurch.org/">Oak Mountain Church</a> have begun to see manifested within our local context with The REnaissance Project.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">It is encouraging to see a broader movement throughout the church at large towards such a movement where beauty and creativity are not only accepted, but purposefully developed and encouraged to flourish.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">May God continue to bring glory to himself through the continued expansion of such a movement</span>.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-20318002037905065012010-08-02T06:11:00.001-05:002010-08-02T13:22:05.621-05:00The REnaissance Project part 4<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgMOeOB8OQU0IgUkcUkq3w2oWbbvGZm5bPEYpFvo_HaDyg5MlUZl6I-YOWTJe1UcLikWYOBGGHG7wSTHic3f_LNMMBQHWMcNp0951rr7D7yDh1Xrfs5XWp-xRqMQzLQ85DSKhzNV2t0M/s1600/renaissance2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 105px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgMOeOB8OQU0IgUkcUkq3w2oWbbvGZm5bPEYpFvo_HaDyg5MlUZl6I-YOWTJe1UcLikWYOBGGHG7wSTHic3f_LNMMBQHWMcNp0951rr7D7yDh1Xrfs5XWp-xRqMQzLQ85DSKhzNV2t0M/s320/renaissance2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499427119913381106" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://missiodeibham.blogspot.com/2010/07/introduction-to-renaissance-project.html">part 1 A Transitional Movement</a><br /><a href="http://missiodeibham.blogspot.com/2010/07/renaissance-project-part-2.html">part 2 A Revival of Classical Influence</a><br /><a href="http://missiodeibham.blogspot.com/2010/07/renaissance-project-part-3.html">part 3 A Flowering of the Arts and Literature</a></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" ><br /><br />So how will The Renaissance Project seek to practically carry out this vision?</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" ><br /><br />II. Structural framework </span><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >(borrowing from <a href="http://www.redeemer.com/">Redeemer PCA's</a> <a href="http://www.faithandwork.org/">Center for Faith and Work</a>)</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" ><br /><br />The REnaissance Project seeks to:</span> <ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Build communities of artists where they can know and be known by God and by one another <span style="font-style: italic;">(Seeking GRACE from God)</span></span> </li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Provide opportunities for artists to create in a safe, nurturing and grace-centered community, for the benefit of the church and the city of Birmingham</span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >(Sharing GRACE in community)</span> </li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family:arial;">Lead the community of faith at Oak Mountain Church to engage with the art and artistic communities in and around Birmingham</span><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">(Showing GRACE to all)</span></li></ul>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-67382073549224004672010-07-30T07:22:00.001-05:002010-07-30T07:22:00.430-05:00The REnaissance Project part 3<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUsRMMLXt4QUI7V23X6AJij0WWZXidC3yKLPkUwvjFR37mqo8Uxd9nbQ4oltcBthJ7mdJbDLKGoOEvSttgeQ8esNSm721YiCM1isO4w9iGa6G6jG8CAOmIYikzVL73tSZYtf53pBAJgw/s1600/renaissance2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 105px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUsRMMLXt4QUI7V23X6AJij0WWZXidC3yKLPkUwvjFR37mqo8Uxd9nbQ4oltcBthJ7mdJbDLKGoOEvSttgeQ8esNSm721YiCM1isO4w9iGa6G6jG8CAOmIYikzVL73tSZYtf53pBAJgw/s320/renaissance2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5499411880529770914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So what is the REnaissance Project?</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-weight: bold;">I. Philisophical Framework </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;">(in 3 parts)</span></span><span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />(part 1 of 3) </span></span></span></span><a href="http://missiodeibham.blogspot.com/2010/07/introduction-to-renaissance-project.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:arial;">A Transitional Movement: </span></span></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://missiodeibham.blogspot.com/2010/07/introduction-to-renaissance-project.html"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">a re-structuring of priorities </span></span></a><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:arial;">(part 2 of 3)</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> <a href="http://missiodeibham.blogspot.com/2010/07/renaissance-project-part-2.html">A Revival of Classical Influence: </a></span></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://missiodeibham.blogspot.com/2010/07/renaissance-project-part-2.html">a re-discovery of ancient inspiration</a><br /><br />(part 3 of 3)<br /></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;">A Flowering of the Arts and Literature:</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >a re-birth of creativity </span></span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />During the Renaissance there was an explosion of creativity and beauty which brought glory to the ultimate Author of creativity and beauty. This was not the first time in human history when such a movement took place. We have seen how in God’s creative act in Genesis 1 that he set the paradigm for creating and highlighting beauty. We also saw from Exodus 31 and in David’s serving as a poet, a songwriter and a musician how creativity flourished among God’s people.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />As we look at the Bible itself we see varied genres of literature displayed highlighting the diversity and creativity even within specific areas of the Arts. We witness everything from History to Poetry and music to Prophecy. We see the creative use of language as the author’s own personalities and artistic gifts are used and even highlighted by the Holy Spirit.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />The Renaissance Project also desires to assist, encourage, and participate in yet another God inspired explosion of creativity and beauty which brings glory to the God of all creation.</span></span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-57943255439106916882010-07-28T05:43:00.000-05:002010-07-28T05:43:00.655-05:00The REnaissance Project part 2<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2ppJxK1mNeT_9mKAngNiWzKToPMPSvk6wY6r3yJ3WsnEFIxMeUtNIkgQohyphenhyphen4SdKYQGSR-G5nfOFEgSk5UI4VYUFet1uKlSzk1g5YBKuVuFcPCW8krn8DJwRCpqRxKlYVAaNNyDdGVA0/s1600/renaissance2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 105px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2ppJxK1mNeT_9mKAngNiWzKToPMPSvk6wY6r3yJ3WsnEFIxMeUtNIkgQohyphenhyphen4SdKYQGSR-G5nfOFEgSk5UI4VYUFet1uKlSzk1g5YBKuVuFcPCW8krn8DJwRCpqRxKlYVAaNNyDdGVA0/s320/renaissance2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498660488167165458" border="0" /></a><br /><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> 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<w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:670177393; mso-list-type:hybrid; mso-list-template-ids:1064457338 1475740154 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;} @list l0:level1 {mso-level-number-format:roman-upper; mso-level-tab-stop:.75in; mso-level-number-position:left; margin-left:.75in; text-indent:-.5in;} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Arial;">So what is The Renaissance Project?</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><br /><b style=""><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><b style=""><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p><span style="">I.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b style=""><span style="font-family:Arial;">Philosophical framework </span></b><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p>(in 3 parts)</o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.75in; text-indent: -0.5in;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://missiodeibham.blogspot.com/2010/07/introduction-to-renaissance-project.html"><b style=""><u><span style="font-family:Arial;">Part 1) A Transitional Movement: </span></u></b><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:arial;">a restructuring of priorities</span></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><u><span style="font-family:Arial;">Part 2) A Revival of Classical Influence</span></u></b><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;" >:<span style=""> </span><i style="">a re-discovery of ancient inspiration</i></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"> </span><i style=""><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:8pt;color:blue;" ><o:p></o:p></span></i><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;" >After 400 years of slavery and oppression in the <st1:placetype st="on">land</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename st="on">Egypt</st1:placename>, the Lord brings the people of <st1:country-region st="on">Israel</st1:country-region> through the Red Sea to the foot of <st1:place st="on"><st1:placetype st="on">Mt.</st1:placetype> <st1:placename st="on">Sinai</st1:placename></st1:place> in order to introduce himself to a people who were only vaguely aware that they were a people.<span style=""> </span>Through the giving of Genesis by the divinely inspired pen of their divinely appointed leader Moses, we see a record of God’s introduction of himself to this recently freed group of slaves.<span style=""> </span>People, meet Yahweh, your God.<span style=""> </span>The first recorded act that a sovereign and purposeful God chooses to record, the first characteristic of himself revealed to this people is as Creator.<span style=""> </span>Genesis 1:1 states that, “In the beginning, God created…”<span style=""> </span>God as Creator.<span style=""> </span>Creativity is a divine attribute.<span style=""> </span>The very act of participating in the creative process is a mimicry of the Divine.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p>As we look around at the results of this divine act of creation, even in its fallen state our breath is taken away by jagged, snow-capped peaks, by vast, sparkling oceans, by the heart stopping beauty of a sunset, by the panorama of colors revealed upon a canvas of Fall leaves.<span style=""> </span>Even in the amazing diversity and creativity displayed within the countless flora and fauna found across the globe, God’s creative nature screams to us in a symphony of varied revelations.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p>In Exodus 31 we see in the commissioning of Oholiab and Bezalel as craftsmen and artisans for the Tabernacle the importance which God places upon the creation of beauty for His own Glory.<span style=""> </span>In the creation of beautiful things, whether that be a carefully built piece of furniture, a well constructed story, a beautiful painting, a spectacularly designed landscape or a finely crafted song, not only are we bearing and reflecting the image of God by mimicking the divine attribute of His creativity, we are also bringing glory to God by the creation of beauty.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p>Historically, particularly during the middle ages, much of the finest art in the area of music, sculpture, painting, calligraphy, etc was produced for and commissioned by the church.<span style=""> </span>Where would Michelangelo or Da Vinci been without the church as a patron?<span style=""> </span>Where would Handel have been without the body of Christ supporting his composing music for God’s own glory?<span style=""> </span>It could even be argued that David in his composition and performance of music at the request of King Saul was a beneficiary of Saul’s (admittedly schizophrenic) patronage.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;" ><o:p></o:p>The Renaissance Project desires to encourage and work towards a return to the churches broader involvement in and support of the arts community.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-49725210499375271152010-07-26T15:00:00.004-05:002010-07-26T15:21:45.019-05:00An Introduction to The REnaissance Project<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganDADww6oS3w00F-cA-8-S4d0RL6oxgfXdt5lZfjkpRapzYLw4bsox-sp4GYgo-rcOkK32pfHZR5iXJ-1OkTppJbiLBN6miV2acLH5fYZ9GpdygsSpgF7flf0Z6M-PlhkNIZj5L3-1Yo/s1600/renaissance2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 105px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganDADww6oS3w00F-cA-8-S4d0RL6oxgfXdt5lZfjkpRapzYLw4bsox-sp4GYgo-rcOkK32pfHZR5iXJ-1OkTppJbiLBN6miV2acLH5fYZ9GpdygsSpgF7flf0Z6M-PlhkNIZj5L3-1Yo/s320/renaissance2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498307544330898578" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial; font-size: 130%;">So what is The REnaissance Project?</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;">I. Philosophical framework</span> <span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 100%;">Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word “renaissance” as the following:</span></span><span style="font-size: 85%;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;"><br /><br />1 the <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">transitional movement</span> in Europe between medieval and modern times beginning in the 14th century</span><span style="font-size: 85%;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">in Italy, lasting into the 17th century, and marked by a humanistic <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">revival of classical influence</span> expressed</span><span style="font-size: 85%;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">in <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">a flowering of the arts and literature</span> and by the beginnings of modern science b : the period of the</span> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">Renaissance c : the neoclassic style of architecture prevailing during the Renaissance</span><span style="font-size: 85%;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">2 often capitalized : a movement or period of vigorous artistic and intellectual activity</span><span style="font-size: 85%;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">3 : rebirth, revival</span><span style="font-size: 85%;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 85%;">In the coming days we will look briefly at each of the following three elements.</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"></span><span style="font-family: arial;"></span><span style="font-family: arial;"></span><ul><li style="font-family: arial;">A transitional movement<br /></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">A revival of classical influence</span><br /></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">A flowering of the arts and literature<br /></span></li></ul><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Transitional Movement:</span> <span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">a re-structuring of priorities</span></span></span> <span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 85%;">We, as a Reformed denomination founded upon the importance of sola scriptura, have historically</span></span> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">and correctly placed a very high degree of importance upon the hearing and teaching and</span> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">preaching of God’s Holy Word. Whatever we do, whatever we teach, we do so because those</span> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">things are found within the pages of the Bible. This is good. This is right. This is true.</span> <span style="font-size: 85%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">However, as imperfect, fallen individuals, fractured by the Fall in ways beyond our full</span> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">comprehension, we have at times failed to apply the high degree of importance found within the</span> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">pages of Scripture to the full spectrum of life in the same ways which Scripture does.</span> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;"><br /><br />All of life is under the Lordship of Christ. Where we have rightly placed importance upon the</span><span style="font-size: 85%;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">faithful preaching of God’s Word and holy living, we shall say “Amen”. However, in areas where</span><span style="font-size: 85%;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">we have not historically appropriated the Lordship of Christ, we must repent for our incomplete</span><span style="font-size: 85%;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">application of gospel Lordship and seek, under the authority and motivation of Scripture, to move</span><span style="font-size: 85%;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">forward in the reclaiming of those areas.</span> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;"><br /><br />The Arts is one such area that has historically been neglected within the larger Reformed</span> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">community of believers. In seeking to raise the importance of this particular area of life, we do</span><span style="font-size: 85%;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">not in any way seek to de-value areas where we have historically been strong. The Renaissance</span><span style="font-size: 85%;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">Project seeks to reclaim and champion an important and vital area of God’s good creation by</span><span style="font-size: 85%;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 85%;">emphasizing the Lordship of Christ over all areas of the Arts and claiming them for His glory.</span> <span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-35708730997359152452010-07-19T13:33:00.005-05:002010-07-19T14:19:59.257-05:00The Power of a Mentor<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifout-x9b4_G4u_G1efbY0eATX0Tury-YaIntyXWXlBn0Nm0OkqoQlPpnDk-14RJ4MWBT0V5xwySyDVWq5uyc2teIZNajk329nlGJeF5XO9ppDce8vHLnX8W8YjVitmaU3QBgvlFSv8A4/s1600/David_G-225x300.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifout-x9b4_G4u_G1efbY0eATX0Tury-YaIntyXWXlBn0Nm0OkqoQlPpnDk-14RJ4MWBT0V5xwySyDVWq5uyc2teIZNajk329nlGJeF5XO9ppDce8vHLnX8W8YjVitmaU3QBgvlFSv8A4/s320/David_G-225x300.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495691166009051682" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />I read an <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/07/19/Miller.jazz/index.html?hpt=C2">interesting article over on CNN</a> earlier today about <a href="http://www.donaldmillerwords.com/index.php">Donald Miller</a> and David Gentiles <span style="font-size:78%;">(pictured above)</span>. Never heard of Gentiles? Well, if it weren't for Gentiles you probably would never have heard of Miller. Regardless of what you think about Miller's personality, theological positions or political affections, this article is a great testimony to the power of mentoring. <br /><br />One life being poured into another for the sake, not just of that individual, but for the sake of the broader kingdom. <br /><br />It is what Atlanta business-man Regi Campbell in a 2009 book titled <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mentor-Like-Jesus-Regi-Campbell/dp/080544811X">"Mentor Like Jesus"</a> calls "intentionally investing in the next generation .... for God's glory." It is a process patterned by Jesus and commanded by Jesus. And it is an area in which many modern evangelical churches, for all of our technological know-how and theological precision are amazingly anemic.<br /><br />So read about Gentiles' impact on Miller. Consider the <a href="http://www.donaldmillerwords.com/ownadragon.php">books not written</a>, the <a href="http://www.thementoringproject.org/">initiatives not begun</a> and ask yourself, who are those in the next generation into whom you are pouring your life? <br /><br />Then join me in repentance over our failure to give away what we have been so freely given, namely our lives and the grace by which to live them through faith in the unmerited favor and blessing of a Savior greater than we could ever imagine</span>. <span style="font-family: arial;"> Then, and only then, in light of this amazing grace shown to us, let us move forward into the amazing and humbling challenge of pouring what we have been given into the lives of others. For the glory of God. </span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-32145770424554737062010-06-13T06:42:00.000-05:002010-06-13T06:42:00.142-05:00For hospitality or for narcissism?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKjM3nyv9j1xGMZzQhSgw8NPvxEqSN2ZXEpGmW9YBvVn1cFNwRFM7ic7D4xXKHA_6IxSYK-U8w5m4XXNT-2sSEcKA1ln_fzUyb2H9gWa4NB2fmxZtXXaa-GPOicVGomvPZHV0r9jH_EQ/s1600/mcmansion.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKjM3nyv9j1xGMZzQhSgw8NPvxEqSN2ZXEpGmW9YBvVn1cFNwRFM7ic7D4xXKHA_6IxSYK-U8w5m4XXNT-2sSEcKA1ln_fzUyb2H9gWa4NB2fmxZtXXaa-GPOicVGomvPZHV0r9jH_EQ/s320/mcmansion.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481217470383862882" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />The average North American consumer spends between 30 – 40 percent of their monthly income on home related expenses. Much of that same group rarely experiences any social interaction at all within that home with the exception of their immediate family. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />We often justify the purchase of homes and lifestyles so that we will have enough space to have friends over, to “entertain”, or within the evangelical community to “use for ministry”. However, too often we end up working so much to pay for our financial over-extension that we never have the time or energy left over to engage in actually entertaining or “ministering” in our neighborhoods. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />So if this significant investment of such a large portion of our financial resources is not truly being used for the sake of loving others well through acts of service and hospitality, thereby expanding the influence of the gospel within our immediate communities, are we then not doing so simply for the sake of narcissism and personal comfort?</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />May we see our sin and negligence towards Christ’s command to love neighbors well. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />May we be grieved. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />May we be driven in desperation to the compassion and mercy that only the cross of Christ provides. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />And may we then, from that place of forgiveness and assurance of the Fathers good pleasure towards us, move forward into our communities, throwing open our arms as well as our front doors and love well those whom God has sovereignly placed in our path.</span> </span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-13480054646257043222010-06-08T12:59:00.006-05:002010-06-08T13:31:17.241-05:00A Church for the Non-khaki Crowd?<span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">This past weekend was a festival filled extravaganza around the Birmingham area. There was <a href="http://www.preservejazz.com/">The Preserve Jazz Festival</a> in Hoover, the 8th annual Art in the Gardens at <a href="http://www.aldridgegardens.com/">Aldridge Gardens</a>, also in Hoover, and then there was the <a href="http://www.magiccitybrewfest.com/">Magic City Brewfest </a>held at <a href="http://www.slossfurnaces.com/">Sloss Furnaces</a>. Basically, if you weren’t out and about in and around Birmingham this weekend, you missed some amazing opportunities. </span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />For my wife and I, the appointment on the calendar was for the Magic City Brewfest. Some friends of ours had extra tickets to this sold out event and invited us to tag along. While this may not necessarily have been a “normal” outing for us, the free tickets fit very nicely into our family budget and we really do enjoy spending time with the couple who invited us, so we gladly accepted. </span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />There were several things that struck me about the day. First of all, contrary to popular belief, Birmingham and its residents are in no way shape or form an “over-churched” city. This is not to say that there are not segments or cultural pockets of our city that are not saturated. There seems to be no shortage of churches seeking to grow Christ’s kingdom by reaching people who dress like them, eat like them, smell like them, speak like them and agree with every conceivable point of doctrine and theology. </span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />And of course, there is certainly a place for this. After all, men in khakis, loafers and golf shirts need the gospel too. However, if we only surround ourselves with echoes of what we already are convinced is “normal”, it becomes all too easy to slip into a continually shrinking community of individuals who simply “amen” our ever narrowing perspective.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />Which, I guess, leads me to a second realization. Many within the churched culture do not spend time outside of our circles of social comfort very often. In short, we do not deal with “different” very well. <br /><br /></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5Z1ZVqZE-opw7qoTiwt8yKQsoAigmB2tgBS0qvvc5-bBzfZwp0pURaZJ7_5BaporkGOt2vwRO6fISqogtEyAuuMB36hD_4eMHJzzrkFM-ahfFDpqvBuvF84IUXmZT70UVVg1vGuibmU/s1600/sinners.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 223px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5Z1ZVqZE-opw7qoTiwt8yKQsoAigmB2tgBS0qvvc5-bBzfZwp0pURaZJ7_5BaporkGOt2vwRO6fISqogtEyAuuMB36hD_4eMHJzzrkFM-ahfFDpqvBuvF84IUXmZT70UVVg1vGuibmU/s320/sinners.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480468607128289234" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">But what I witnessed on Saturday afternoon at a beer festival in downtown Birmingham was a church plant waiting to happen. The people there struck me as a crowd Jesus would have felt very much at home with. And those whom I had the opportunity to spend time with struck me, somewhat surprisingly I must confess, as a somewhat Jesus friendly crowd. (Of course they were a generally friendly crowd to begin with and became even “friendlier” as the day went on.)</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />About half way through the afternoon, I looked at my wife and wondered aloud, Where is the body of Christ followers pursuing this particular group of people? People like the guy with one argyle sock permanently tattooed from ankle to mid-calf on one leg. People like the young couple gently pulling their two toddlers behind them in their Radio Flyer wagon as they went from booth to booth sampling the various products on display. People like the molecular biologist who has a guitar case full of half finished verses and partial choruses at home, never bringing them out for public display because he wasn’t a “real” musician. People like the band member from one of the bands performing that day, who loves his wife and kids, faithfully shows up at work every day and spends all his free time playing multiple stringed instruments and perfecting his own home brew. </span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />Will these individuals be reached by a community of believers who often pride themselves in a devotion to traditionalism and conformity to cultural norms over and above a devotion to Christ and a conformity to Biblical norms? Or will it take a return journey, past a church who often still pines for the “golden age” of the 1950’s, beyond the revivalism of the 18th and the 19th centuries, through the 16th century and all of the glory that was the Protestant Reformation, going all the way back to the 1st century and a wandering Palestinian preacher who made it a point to pursue those not welcomed within the acceptable circles of established religion of the day?</span><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />My brain is churning, my heart is enflamed, and my prayer is for Christ to invade and move among a people who do not yet know that they are a people. May the glory of the Lord illumine eyes that are dark and warm hearts that are cold, wherever they may be found.</span> </span><br /><o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-72587583430708321382010-05-18T14:12:00.004-05:002010-05-18T14:27:20.672-05:00Extreme Giftedness; Dedication to Craft; Desire to Glorify God<span style="font-family:arial;">What do you get when you mix an extreme giftedness, and dedication to craft with a desire to glorify God by forming and impacting culture? </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpWmSf_y5QJ5WE5n8QMZ3kqtoC6JYHyNQIDsAxIcDDp47oXG1YexE3Uto7rgUK0I-2To2Y-8fp5Wm_wMGObgyL3F34pqJraata4NEW8snZsj_ivq5WifuAzlSKridYtSE5Id5l-StLpA/s1600/makotofujimura.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpWmSf_y5QJ5WE5n8QMZ3kqtoC6JYHyNQIDsAxIcDDp47oXG1YexE3Uto7rgUK0I-2To2Y-8fp5Wm_wMGObgyL3F34pqJraata4NEW8snZsj_ivq5WifuAzlSKridYtSE5Id5l-StLpA/s320/makotofujimura.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472692717970378434" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.makotofujimura.com/bio/">Makoto Fujimura</a> is an artist who creates beauty from a place of deep theological understanding. And he does so to wide critical acclaim as well. <br /><br />What if all of Christendom lived out the inescapable call to bear the Creator's image in each of our uniquely assigned realms?</span> <span style="font-family: arial;"> There is only one possible outcome of such a movement...<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;">REVIVAL.</span><br /></div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7603265076227018614.post-8394723686526581692010-05-12T16:25:00.009-05:002010-05-12T17:31:21.579-05:00A Former Monastic, An Actor, A Pastor<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwch8Wg1v_lGDRGL5XUFzGHWtn8cwUwM51fp5WusYTz7PeFZQN_QRjsmo8B-c1Za1kNMtm8jBRcLzY7vfK5p_jIzhfHT4wJYGRThEXH_QYDRY5As60GaZeR0n_UQ0cP075Lll9zLSm0x8/s1600/t6_butz625.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 164px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwch8Wg1v_lGDRGL5XUFzGHWtn8cwUwM51fp5WusYTz7PeFZQN_QRjsmo8B-c1Za1kNMtm8jBRcLzY7vfK5p_jIzhfHT4wJYGRThEXH_QYDRY5As60GaZeR0n_UQ0cP075Lll9zLSm0x8/s320/t6_butz625.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470510028112293634" border="0" /></a> (<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">image by John L. White P/D)</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >Several years back, when I was a student at <a href="http://www.covenantseminary.edu/index.php">Covenant Theological Seminary</a> in St. Louis, MO, I was fortunate enough to be able to work in the seminary's admissions office. As a full-time student, and a full-time father and husband, being able to have a job where I could walk straight out of class and into a setting where I was immediately applying practical ministry skills was an incredibly valuable part of my preparation for being a shepherd of God's people.<br /><br />And the opportunities to shepherd were numerous and varied, like the guy who was investigating seminary because his boss at Taco Bell said he couldn't really do anything else worthwhile, so he might as well be a pastor. (We decided that seminary probably wasn't the most appropriate path for him, by the way.)<br /><br />And then there was the evening a guy named Jim Butz walked in and asked to talk to someone about applying to seminary. There were several things that stood out about Jim. For one, he had spent some time living in a monastic community. A real live monk. You don't meet many monks in real life, so when you do you kind of want to take advantage of the opportunity.<br /><br />Another thing that stood out about Jim was his passion for life and his respect for the image of God in people. This conviction of a persons intrinsic value manifested itself early in Jim's marriage when he met a homeless guy downtown in <a href="http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/parks/forestpark/">Forest Park</a> and invited him to come home and sleep on the couch until the guy could get back on his feet. Did I mention that Jim and his bride had barely been married a year at this point? This was no ordinary guy (or ordinary bride for that matter).<br /><br />Jim was also an actor. A real live, honest to goodness, Shakespeare-in-the-park kind of actor. It was actually after one of his performances of Shakespeare in the Park where Jim met his homeless roommate. Just met him and brought him home.<br /><br />I have remembered my conversations with Jim often. It was one of many opportunities God has taken to introduce me to individuals who pursue art, craft and beauty to the glory of a creative God.<br /><br />I was excited recently to discover this <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entertainment/stories.nsf/story/684729057882BA5A862576FA00501C88?OpenDocument">April 2010 article in the St. Louis Post Dispatch</a> about Jim and the relationship between his craft and his faith. Imagine, a man living out in his God-given, creative spirit what it means to be both an artist and a pastor.<br /><br />I, for one, pray for many more "Jims" to be called by a God who creates and ordains beauty; a beauty which sings of His own great Glory.</span><br /></span></span>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646691600415227354noreply@blogger.com1