How do you change the culture of a church?
We talked about this question quite a bit at the ‘Trellis and Vine Workshops’ that Col Marshall and I had the privilege of leading recently in the US. It was an issue that many of the pastors at the workshops felt keenly.
The Trials of Theology
Edited by Andrew Cameron and Brian Rosner
Christian Focus, Ross-shire, 2009, 192pp.
I never thought I’d go to theological college. In truth, I fancied the idea of studying theology as an abstract intellectual exercise, but had little inclination to put that learning to any practical use. I thought this a rather poor reason to go. Biblical scholarship for its own sake seemed to me to be a self-serving trap that was best avoided. This fear of the ‘ivory tower’ is one of the struggles and temptations that can accompany studying the things of God that is detailed in The Trials of Theology. This collection of wisdom, edited by Andrew Cameron and Brian Rosner, is a reader intended for those engaged in theological education: short pieces from Christians from both the past (Augustine, Luther, Spurgeon, Warfield, Bonhoeffer, and CS Lewis) and the present (DA Carson, Carl Trueman, Gerald Bray, Dennis Hollinger, and John Woodhouse). (more…)
The Masculine Mandate: God’s Calling to Men
Richard Phillips
Reformation Trust Publishing, Florida, 2010, 175pp.
The Christian world needs a collection of good books for men, so that we can work out how to be God’s men in a fallen world that seems hell-bent on confusing us. The Masculine Mandate by Richard Phillips should be one of these books. (more…)
St Francis of Assisi is often quoted as saying, “Preach the gospel at all times. When necessary use, words.” Regardless of whether he actually said this or not, I understand the sentiment of some who quote him. Namely, the Christian faith needs to be lived out, not only talked about. (more…)
Something funny is happening to our Bible readings at church. I noticed it last week.
We use the NIV at St Michael’s for our public reading of Scripture and preaching. (And Scott, please note we have at least two readings at every service, and three for our early morning service!)
Everyone on our reading roster knows we use the NIV.
But last week some of the readings were different from what we had in front of us. And others noticed too. What was going on?