Spirit | Church | Mission

The Spirit empowered Church for the sake of God's Mission

Reading Scripture: Informational Versus Transformational?

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I’m reading a fascinating book recommended to me by my good friend Thomas Lyons titled Wesley, Wesleyans, and Reading Bible as Scripture, edited by Joel B. Green and David F. Watson. It’s of interest due to some of the similar challenges that we are facing in the Vineyard… issues related to the functional authority of Scripture, hermeneutics, etc.

My favorite essay in the book is Elaine A. Heath’s, “Reading Scripture for Christian Formation.” Heath provides a look at how John Wesley approached Scripture and, I think, persuasively argues that Wesley never read Scripture in a dualistic manner. [Read more…]

Happy Women’s Day: 6 Books You Need to Read

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Continuing my tradition of writing something in honor of International Women’s Day, I’d like to suggest six important books written by women addressing issues related to women within the Church:

Paul and Gender: Reclaiming the Apostle’s Vision for Men and Women in Christ by Cynthia Long Westfall. This was probably my favorite book of 2017. Cynthia is a fantastic author and a seriously legit NT scholar. If you have questions about what the Apostle Paul meant concerning gender in the New Testament, this book is a must read. The publisher’s summary of the book states:

“Respected New Testament scholar Cynthia Long Westfall offers a coherent Pauline theology of gender, which includes fresh perspectives on the most controverted texts. Westfall interprets passages on women and men together and places those passages in the context of the Pauline corpus as a whole. She offers viable alternatives for some notorious interpretive problems in certain Pauline passages, reframing gender issues in a way that stimulates thinking, promotes discussion, and moves the conversation forward. As Westfall explores the significance of Paul’s teaching on both genders, she seeks to support and equip males and females to serve in their area of gifting.”

[Read more…]

The Rhetoric of Love in a Tone Deaf World

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Communication in today’s world can be pretty challenging. We are overloaded with so many communication channels, whether it’s print media, social media, or face to face conversation. The art of “discussion” has increasingly become frustrating because often people simply have lost the skill of active listening.

Yes, communication in today’s world is challenging! [Read more…]

The Sacramental Nature of the Church

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If a sacrament is a means of grace, or to improve upon an Augustinian idea, a visible sign of both invisible and visible grace, how might the church be sacramental? 

This is a question I have long been wrestling with and the suggestion I made in my dissertation was that the Church herself is sacramental. In other words, I believe that the Church is a means of grace, a visible sign of grace, for the world to experience. [Read more…]

Nitpicking the #NashvilleStatement (while not being “liberal” or “progressive”)

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The hot button discussion in American Evangelicalism this week is the recently released “Nashville Statement”. This is an attempt by some Reformed Evangelicals to clarify their views on sexuality; the statement has raised a fair amount of agreement and a fair amount of disagreement. Given the theological diversity of my friends, some have loved it and others have found it terrible. You can see the diversity of public opinion within “15 Reactions For And Against the Nashville Statement.” In my opinion, the following posts have been tremendously helpful in thinking about #NashvilleStatement: [Read more…]