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Monthly Archives: July 2009

Book Review – How Should We Then Live

Preface: This book, “How Should We Then Live, The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture“, is also the title of HSWTL an accompaning film directed by Schaeffer’s son Frank. I will be focusing on the book in this review. Since this is my first attempt at a book review, it may look like other reviews you’ve seen. I will have modeled the format from other book reviewers I’ve read. Like here and here. Lord willing I will be attempting other book reviews as I get more comfortable with my own format. So here goes.

Francis A. Schaffer (Jan. 30, 1912 – May 15, 1984) was an Amercian Evangelical Christian theologian, philospher, and Presbyterian pastor. Schaeffer authored many books and, along with his wife Edith, established the L’Abri community which now has locations all over the world.

I just finished reading this book (side note: My wife argues that it really isn’t reading since I am really listening to the audio version as I commute to work each day) which hasn’t given my comprehension the full time that it needs to digest all that I’ve read. But what I am comprehending continues to impress me. Schaeffer’s giftedness in philosophy and theology are evident throughout the book. As the book’s subtitle “The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture” indicates, Schaeffer takes us through marked times throughout earth’s history that has influenced much of what we call Western civilization. Each chapter is basically focused on these time periods.

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Posted by barrydean on July 17, 2009 in Ezekiel 33, Francis A. Schaeffer, How Should We Then Live, Western culture, Western thought

A funny thing happened on the way to defining a church.

14 Jul

While doing some personal research about how an emergent will learn about God I found something very interesting, comedy_and_tragedy_masks funny, and sad. One of the sites I will frequent in an effort to learn about what is current in the Emergent Church is Solomon’s Porch.

Solomon’s Porch does not a use the word church. There I would agree. They are, as the subtitle says “A Holistic, Missional, Christian Community. Solomon’s Porch is lead by Doug Pagitt, who is by all means a leader in the emergent movement. He has written several books on the movement and is an authority, which is a contrast in the emergent community. But that is another post, article, discussion.

While navigating the Solomon’s Porch web site using their navigating drop-down list I found an entry for “What Makes a church?”. Curious, I navigated to that page. The result can be seen here. Go ahead, do it yourself. I don’t know if this was intentional or not. Usually a web site will have something on a page that is published to the public, so maybe this was intentional. Does the blank page represent the open-minded, broad brush, emergent definition of church? You draw your own opinion.

In contrast I will briefly mention another web site I frequent a bit more, especially to find info about “What Makes a church.” The web site is 9Marks. They have a couple of tag lines: “Church Matters”, and “Is Your Church Reflecting Culture or Re-shaping It?” The 9 in 9Marks represents the 9 marks of a healthy local church. When I navigated to their page on what a church looks like, I found this. It is based on what is the ultimate authority for every man, the bible.

It is not my intention to bash Doug Pagitt and Solomon’s Porch. I just found it interesting that they do not have a definition for what makes a church. It is my prayer that Doug Pagitt and Solomon’s Porch update their “What Makes a church” page using the same basis. The bible. It is how we know God, the Holy Spirit, and Christ the son and head of the church.

Some food for thought:

Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb. (Revelation 21:9 ESV)

1 Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, lord, open to us. 12 But he answered, Truly, I say to you, I do not know you. 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. (Matthew 25:1-13 ESV)

Soli Deo Gloria

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Posted by barrydean on July 14, 2009 in 9 Marks, Doug Pagitt, emergent, Solomon's Porch, the bride of Christ, The church

Am I a Calvinist? You tell me.

09 Jul

First of all I need to take care of a hat tip (ht) to my buddy Seth at Contending Earnestly. This posting is being created 42-18021428 out of my thoughts triggered by this fellow blogger’s posting and comments. The posting is about being labeled a Calvinist, and the label or term being used as a dirty word.

I really didn’t know what I was until I started reading books on theology. Speaking of theology; The word is much like the word doctrine, and Calvinism. Theology has also been reduced to a dirty word. At least a drastically minimized word in terms of evangelical importance.

Theology – the study of God. Come on, what’s more important?

I didn’t think theology was important until I ran into some blatantly bad theology. For years I had been indoctrinated in meeting peoples needs above doctrine. Now, I believe, if you don’t have sound biblical doctrine and theology, how can you truly meet the peoples ultimate need? Their need is to hear the true gospel of Jesus Christ. What do I mean by the true gospel? Funny I should ask, because it brings up the point of this post.

When I heard about the Five Points of Calvinism I will admit I had heard the term or label Calvinism and immediately thought “one of them”, and “I heard they don’t believe we have a free will.” But after reading these five points I basically recognized and interpreted it as the gospel. The gospel spoken of in scripture. These five points are also known as TULIP. This is an acronym which is defined below.

T otal Depravity – We suck. (a verb meaning we are sinners and do not seek God) (Ref. Romans 6:20, Romans 3:10-12)

U nconditional Election – God does the choosing. No matter who you are and what you’ve done. (Ref. Eph. 1:4-8)

L imited Atonement – Christ died and His blood covers those who the Father chose. (Ref. Eph. 5:25-27)

I rresistable Grace – God’s elect hear the gospel and the Holy Spirit works in the hearts and minds of the those elect and they willing come to God. (Ref. Romans 9:16, Phil. 2:12-13)

P erseverance of the Saints – The elect of God cannot lose their salvation. For heaven’s sake the elect didn’t do anything to earn salvation. God did the choosing. They are eternally secure. (Ref. Romans 8:26-39)

I think that pretty much sums up the gospel as it is told in scripture.

So, am I a Calvinsit? If you prefer a label or a badge, I will gladly wear it. I have one on my sidebar as a matter of fact. It looks like this:

Calvinist Cadet

A few months ago I found an article from a blogger that did a real good job of describing why he was a Calvinist. I give a high hat tip to Kevin DeYoung and his article.

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Posted by barrydean on July 9, 2009 in Calvinism, Christianity, evangelism, Five Points of Calvinism, gospel, Theology, TULIP