Scattered Thoughts on Theology and Ministry…
The following is a short worksheet/Bible study on God’s mission and our role in it that I’m using with the Young Life student staff in LA. God’s Mission: Genesis to Revelation I’ve heard them described as the “navy seals” of Christians. They’re sometimes talked about as an “elite” bunch, while everyone else sort of justContinue reading “God’s Mission – Worksheet”
A Year of Firsts… As you know, this was my first year coming on to Young Life staff. Because of that it really was a year full of ‘first times.” It was my first time leading our Student Staff and Staff Associate cohorts, first time training our regional staff, first time leading workshops for ourContinue reading “Thank You For Your Support This Year!”
In a short, but helpful, article, Roslyn Hernández writes about the diverse, complicated, sometimes painful, but also rich history that people of Spanish speaking descent bring to the table. Our city consists of a 48% Latino population. Not every area (or even the region as a whole) is going to reflect this percentage in theirContinue reading “3 Tips for Engaging Latino/a Students”
Missiologist and church historian Andrew Walls begins his classic essay, “The Gospel as Prisoner and Liberator of Culture,” with a fascinating thought experiment. An extraterrestrial who is a “Professor of Comparative Inter-Planetary Religion” has come to earth to study the Christian religion. The alien visits Christian gatherings across various times and places. He finds thatContinue reading “The Gospel as Prisoner and Liberator of Culture”
I planned this discussion forum for my “Orientation to Theological Studies Course” many months ago… but the topic is especially relevant this week. One key aspect of Derek Hicks’s essay, “Eschatology in African American Theology” was the notion that for African American theologians “eschatology is woven together by thoughts of future glory in heaven and future justiceContinue reading “Future Glory in Heaven and Future Justice on Earth”
William Dyrness’s book, Insider Jesus, is an attempt to provide a theological framework for evaluating “insider movements.” He adopts Scott Moreau’s definition of insider movements as, “movements to obedient faith in Christ that remain integrated with or inside their natural community.” (Dyrness 2016, 133) While Dyrness does not attempt to evaluate insider movements he presentsContinue reading “Review: Insider Jesus by William Dyrness”
In Walking with the Poor, Bryan Myers presents theoretical background as well as practical direction for doing the work of “Transformational Development.” The book begins with a survey of scholarship regarding theories of development. From there Myers provides a biblical theology of development. This section surveys Roman Catholic thought on the topic before explaining howContinue reading “Review: Walking with the Poor”
Anthony Bradley’s edited volume, Aliens in the Promised Land, is a collection of essays on the topic of minority leadership in evangelical Christian churches and institutions. These essays were complied so that evangelical institutions might learn how to adequately address issues of race that often lie underneath the surface. On the surface, it seems asContinue reading “Review: Aliens in the Promised Land: Why Minority Leadership is Overlooked in White Christian Churches and Institutions – Anthony Bradley”
I recently read an article by Lesslie Newbigin titled, “The Enduring Validity of Cross-Cultural Mission.” It was originally presented as an address at the dedication of the new location of the “Overseas Ministries Study Center” on October 5, 1987. In this essay he discusses some of the sentiments that lie behind the center’s former useContinue reading “The Enduring Validity of Cross-Cultural Mission”
In an entry on “Missiology” in the Encyclopedia of Protestantism, Wilbert Shenk offers, what I take, to be a pretty broad definition of missiology. According to him it is the academic study of all dimensions of the Christian mission. He includes several aspects of what “all dimensions” actually refers to, including, “biblical and theological foundations,”Continue reading “Who do Missiologists Answer to?”
CWoznicki Think Out Loud 