opening up a can of worms...

Evangelism, mission and social action are topics that you could ponder and talk about for hours. In acknowledging this, I still have found it frustrating with some of the gaps in content of my notes and readings for college.

Here are just three of my frustrations:

Frustration #1 in Word and Action
TITUS.... ???? Titus is an entire letter that spells out, I think rather clearly, the relationship between word and action - so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior! Should this not have a greater influence in the discourse of word and action?

Frustration #2 in Inter-Faith Dialogue
I find it offensive that one of the reasons given to the benefits of inter-faith dialogue is that if you listen to them, they will listen to you. Does anyone think it is wrong to only listen to someone just so you can be listened to in return? Where is the integrity and genuineness in that?

Frustration #3 in Word and Action
The body and unity of the church... I often find that when the 'great debate' between social action and evangelism takes place we fail to acknowledge the nature of the church and it's diversity of gifts that God has given it.

God gives some to possess word gifts and be pastors, teachers, evangelists... where as others he gives them the gift of helping... and sure we should all be prepared to give reason for our hope but I still think there is far too great an emphasis on priority which leads to a hierarchy instead of a attention given to the unique partnership the great commission and the great commandment have. I think these are two of the most distinguishable expressions of a life transformed by the gospel.

Acts 6:1-6 is often used to promote the priority of word proclamation.... but I wonder if it actually should be used to promote the gifts and functions of the church? We have hands to help those in need and beautiful feet to bring the good news of the gospel to those perishing? Are we saying that our hands are not of importance to the body?

That's a RAP...

Radical Answer to Prayer

I have unfortunatley been feeling a little disconnected from the course material at college. It has really disapointed me that this is the case... stuff seems to go in but hasn't seemed to change or excite or grab me! I think that is sad.

I have been praying that God would transform my heart and mind to be humble and more like a sponge, to soak up the goodness and that there would be some cross over between the stuff I am learning and with serving his people.

God has been super gracious:

1. A girl from my old church emailed me yesterday asking:
   how do you explain to a non-believer about the differences between old and new testament? how do you explain why Jesus changes things, however, there still are some universal values that are kept? I need a crash course...
   
   
2. At church tonight I was asked
   what did you get up to on the weekend: I spent saturday morning having breakfast in a cafe with myself and article.
   
   She asked what article: oh just one on homosexuality...
   
   and can you believe it she was chatting just this week to her gay friend and had thought to herself she really needs to clarify what she thinks about this a little more. So she asked for a copy and we are going to do coffee to chat it over sometime!
   

Praise Jesus for BS 141 (Biblical Theology)

Reading Comprehension...

Does the Holy Spirit illuminate only the Scriptures for the believer?
Does He illuminate primary source documents, theological text books or novels?

How does the Holy Spirit illuminate words for the illiterate?

...

These questions have been floating around in my head in light of thinking about Indigenous Church ministry and also because of my own experience this week trying to comprehend ancient texts for college.