Apprentice 2 Jesus

Church

  • The Power of the Word and the Scriptures

    I am picking up Barth again, slogging through the second volume (which is actually 1.2). The power of the Word and the Scriptures is key for Barth. The section I am currently working through is incredibly exciting. (No, really. It is.) The Church is not merely a human institution. This is not “a human polity,… Read more

  • Why the Scriptures?

    “From a human standpoint the preservation of the Church depends, therefore, on the fact that Scripture is read, assimilated, expounded and applied in the Church, that this happens tirelessly and repeatedly, that the whole way of the Church consists in its striving to hear this concrete witness.” (Karl Barth) Read more

  • Barth and Church Authority

    As I continue to wonder if I’m reading Barth correctly, I am struck by his trust of the Church. He is Reformed, so the authority of the Church is not as encompassing as the Catholic view. Still, he believes in the authority of the Church. Church authority is spiritual authority: in all its forms it… Read more

  • Apostolic Ministry

    My life is challenged by modern-day apostles. True apostles. Not the ones taking out full page ads in magazines. The ones actually doing the work of an apostle, too busy to self-promote. They are affirmed in this ministry by the Spirit and the Church recognizes it. The past few months we have had a few… Read more

  • Keeping Up to Date with the Church Around the World

    We need to hear the voices of our brothers and sisters around the world even more. The persecution increases in the Middle East. Chuck Colson’s broadcast today focused on this issue. Please pray for the Body of Christ around the world. Before the Iraq War began, Christians comprised about five percent of the population of… Read more

  • Prayers for the Church

    I want to add my prayers for the Church around the world. In Iran, our brothers and sisters in Christ are being rounded up and persecution is increasing. Let us unite in our prayers for these and others who lay it on the line every day just to believe in Christ! Read more

  • Sunday

    Sometimes we may get asked about our excitement for Sunday. Sometimes I get asked about why I am excited for Sunday above other days, or excited for the Church on a Sunday when the other days are just as important. Others days are important. But the Lord’s Day is simply a highlight and Chittister’s quote… Read more

  • Regaining Pastors as Theologians

    The First Things article I referred to in my last post continues to challenge me. I may not have the role of a “wider theologian”, but I feel I must be the best theologian possible for my congregation. I don’t want to live in the realm of pragmatics or just practics. Yet, pastoral theology has… Read more

  • Pastor and Theologian

    A great article from First Things provokes some thoughts for me. I want to be faithful as a leader, a pastor, and expositor of the Word. These thoughts are good: The drain of our wider theologians from the pastorate to the academy has resulted in a two-fold problem. First, the theological water-level of our local… Read more

  • The purpose of the liturgy

    I am currently working my way through In Constant Prayer for a book review. In Chapter 4 the author tells a story about a neighbor who wasn’t getting the hang of “liturgy.” Why not just sing a couple of songs, preach a good sermon, and go home? The pastor told the man, “The liturgy is… Read more