A bit of Controversy..

The chorus of a popular and much anticipated rock song* of 2006 goes like this:

"I need to watch things die
From a good safe distance
Vicariously, I
Live while the whole world dies
You all feel the same so
Why can't we just admit it"

In context, the song is talking about watching death on the television, via the news and other programs: "Stare like a junky into the TV"

But having a listen tonight for the first time in a while had me thinking, is this not true of our experience as Christians if we aren't getting out there and spreading the Gospel?
You might react and see this as harsh.. but if we aren't actively seeking to share the Gospel, are we just living while the whole world dies?


*the song is Vicarious by the band Tool. If Maynard knew I was linking his music to sharing the Gospel I think he'd be sick, many times.

Gospel according to..

Second hand information can be good.. but sometimes it's really helpful to get back to the source.

This has never been more true than with the Gospel.
In the big bad world of evangelism so many people have their own idea of the Gospel, and preach it daily..:

• "Jesus was just a man"
• "The Gospels of Mark, Mark 2.0 (Luke), Mark 2.1 (Matthew), and John are all literalist revisioning of a Pagan Mystery religion."
• "There was no literal Jesus."
• "The Good News is there's a sale on Mormon ties and hoodies"

In our present post-christian society (anyone got a technical term for this?), we have the challenge of preaching and ministering the Gospel to those who have already "heard it" today..
They'll accept anything as Gospel..


..without reading it themselves.

How can we be challenging the secular world to be opening the Bible before creating their own version of the Gospel?

The Ps, the Es, and a little Irony

I just can't dig politics.
Nor economics.

I just don't quite understand them.
I know their value, and I know, in a sense, we need them both.

And as a Christian it's certainly something I need to be mindful of.

But I could never blog about it.
This is ok, because One Salient Oversight covers it. (I can't pretend to understand most of what he talks about.)

If he blogged about NIN or Rage Against the Machine (bands in his favourite music list that I am known to be a little fond of), then I would understand the content.. Ironically enough, both bands bang on about politics and economics..

Edit: if you rearrange P(s) E(s) and I(rony) you get PIE.. not related, but yummy.

A quote to ponder..

John Piper at the Resurgence National Conference 2008 - Text and Context

"I think the way to be faithful to John Calvin, insofar as he was true, is to stay faithful to his book, which is right here [the Bible], not the institutes. And so the way to push the truth of any system that you think has got some truth in it, is not to wave the banner of the system, but to wave its foundations here, talk about [the Bible]"

any thoughts?

EDIT:
Taken from a live Q and A with American Pastors John Piper and Matt Chandler. Full vid here

"In the world, not of the world.."

A common phrase.
But what does this really look like?

How much should we be removed from the world?
To what degree should we involve ourselves in the activities of this world in order to win people to Christ?

There are the extremes.
The Exclusive Brethren are at one end, our 'lapsed' brothers and sisters at the other.

We are called to be the salt and light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16), and shine like stars in a depraved generation (Philippians 2:12-18). We are also called to do all things to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:23-33).

Does this define our behaviour in certain contexts, or, does it define which contexts we place ourselves to behave?

Are we to witness in every place, or is there places or contexts that we cannot witness?

Can we also participate in the world, for necessity (say our Jobs), being witness to Christ to the best of our ability?

Lists

I'm a guy who loves lists.
I'll list anything if it helps me grasp a concept or a requirement sooner than it takes to write the list.
Often they don't function as a checklist, but more a 'know list' things to be aware of. Keeps me a little more aware.

The other day I started a list, but, more of a checklist, for all the costs and other time consuming things involved with going to Cambodia.

It's huge!! And sobering..

and getting bigger.. :-s

A call to Ministry?

It's all well and good to want to go into ministry, but a challenge set to me by a close friend of mine today was to ask the question: "Is God truly calling me into ministry?"

And to be honest, the question floored me.

My desire is to see people saved, by the one whom saved me, Jesus Christ my Lord. I also feel that God has gifted me to minister about Jesus to those who are lost, as I also feel he has equipped all of us to minister in our own ways about Jesus.

But does this become an answer to the question? Is God truly calling me into ministry?
On the surface, and in part, yes it does. As Jesus, in what is famously called 'The Great Commission', has instructed us to go out and make disciples of all nations.

But what about life service? What about actually becoming a pastor of a church, a leader of the flock?
How can you know?

I'm not sure, but a few things that were made clear to me:

Firstly

John 12:24-26 "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him."

It needs to be a daily commitment. Death to yourself, follow and serve Christ.
My friend said that each day is the same prayer 'Lord, that you might use me for your good and perfect will, and not my own will."

Secondly
God's call to ministry starts yesterday. Generally speaking, There is no starting point, there is no defined beginning and end to someones ministry, but it is something they have a desire to do, and ministry is the natural progression from that, by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

Thirdly
There will be refinement, and there will be challenges and trials.

2 Timothy 4:5 "As for you, always be sober minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."


Any thoughts?