Revitalize Your Church

Take the 10 question quiz on-line Religious IQ Test at CNN. The accompanying article, "Don't Know Much About Religion?  You're Not Alone." is based on a 32 question poll from the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.   The results are striking: "It's not the evangelicals or Catholics who did best -- it's atheists and agnostics.  It's not Bible belt southerners who score highest -- they came at the bottom.  Those who believe the Bible is literally the Word of God did slightly worse than average. . ."

We’re all fundamentalists, but the issue is what our fundamental is. The Christian fundamental is a Man dying on a cross for his enemies. There’s the truth. -- Scot McKnight

Moralistic, Therepeutic Deism

Most Christians Cannot Explain Their Faith "Young man," Apologist, Josh McDowell said, "Do you know the difference between you, me and the majority of Christians in the world? To you, it's true because you believe it. For me, I believe it because it's true."

"Christianity is rarely found pure . . . The truth is so vast and mighty that no one is capable of taking it all in. . . It requires the whole company of ransomed souls properly to reflect the whole body of revealed truth." -- A.W. Tozer Shucks -- and just when we Wesleyans thought we had the corner on the market!

Renowned atheist, Christopher Hitchens, was interviewed recently by Unitarian Minister, Marilyn Sewell in Portland Monthly . Hitchens, author of God is Not Great, holds perspectives and opinions that are quite contrary to those shared by Bible believing Christians. However, in this interview, there was one little part where Mr. Hitchens was spot on! Sewell: The religion you cite in your book is generally the fundamentalist faith of various kinds. I’m a liberal Christian, and I don’t take the stories from the scripture literally. I don’t believe in the doctrine of atonement (that Jesus died for our sins, for example). Do you make any distinction between fundamentalist faith and liberal religion? Hitchens: I would say that if you don’t believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and Messiah, and that he rose again from the dead and by his sacrifice our sins are forgiven, you’re really not in any meaningful sense a Christian. Sewell: Let's go someplace else. . . Amen, Mr. Hitchens! ...

It's great to see that the Missional Manhattan Presbyterian, Tim Keller has started blogging! I have appreciated the depth of Keller's insights into reaching the rising generation. His first post is an astute analysis of Willow Creek's approach to ministry, in light of John Frame's "tri-perspectivalim: The Willow Creek style churches have a 'kingly' emphasis on leadership, strategic thinking, and wise administration. The danger there is that the mechanical obscures how organic and spontaneous church life can be. The Reformed churches have a 'prophetic' emphasis on preaching, teaching, and doctrine. The danger there is that we can have a naïve and unBiblical view that, if we just expound the Word faithfully, everything else in the church -- leader development, community building, stewardship of resources, unified vision -- will just happen by themselves. The emerging churches have a 'priestly' emphasis on community, liturgy and sacraments...

Last week, several scholars, church leaders and pastors met in Indianapolis for a Doctrinal Symposium on Hermeneutics: How Wesleyans Interpret Scripture. In limited doses, I love events like this. I was looking forward to attending -- but another commitment (unexpected wedding) derailed my plans. Most of the presenters are my good friend -- and they certainly do a great job of stretching both mind and heart. You can find the papers which were presented and a brief synopsis by Dr. Tom Armiger here . Plenty of good meat to chew on! Keith Drury, in a rare move, emerged from his summer writing sabbatical and posted his perspective here.

I recently finished Eric Ludy's Bravehearted Gospel. I found it to be a good and challenging read. I like spiritual writers who whack me on the side of the head to help me think straighter. Writers who quote Tozer and Ravenhill get my attention. I don't always agree with Tozer types -- but they always make me think and pray -- and that's a good thing! Although Ludy suffers a bit from what B. T. Roberts called, "a warring holiness", and picks a few fights that really aren't necessary, I believe the essence of what he is saying (keep it true to the Bible) is an important corrective to some of the doctrinal fuzziness of recent times -- particularly in the emergent camp.

Hmmmmmm