Doug Pagitt Does it Again! June 26, 2008

Buy this book. Amazing! Stunning! Profound! Life-Changing!

 

A Christianity Worth Believing offers an engaging, ‘come-with-me-on-a-journey-of-exploring-the-possibilities’ approach to what it means to be a follower of Jesus in our day. Written by Doug Pagitt—a leading voice in the Emergent conversation—this beautifully written book weaves together theological reflections, Christian history, and his own story of faith transformation.

Pagitt invites readers to follow him as he tells the story of his un-churched childhood, his life-altering conversion at age 16, his intense involvement in the church, and his growing sense of unease with the version of Christianity he was living. On page after page, Pagitt lays out his journey toward an authentic, passionate expression of a faith that feels alive, sustainable, and meaningful.

A Christianity Worth Believing is for the growing numbers of people who have serious and thoughtful questions about Christianity, who have lived for years with deep-seated wondering and doubts about their faith. Pagitt points the way to a new kind of faith by asking the “off-limits” questions about God, Jesus, sin, the Bible, humanity, church, and the Kingdom of God. Rather than rehashing old debates, he offers new insights, provocative possibilities, and hopeful alternatives.

In A Christianity Worth Believing you may well discover questions you didn’t think you could ask, ideas you didn’t think you could pursue, beliefs you didn’t think you could hold onto. Ultimately you will discover a Christianity worth believing.

Here’s Doug promoting the book. Take a look…

 

When God Makes Things CLEAR! June 12, 2008

Have you ever come out of a relationship knowing things weren’t a good fit and that you were trying to make something work that isn’t/wasn’t supposed to? That’s an amazing experience!

My personality lends itself to this. I am extremely OCD and get “focused” as my family and wife constantly remind me. 

I just experienced this type of relationship come to an end… a very good and natural end. It was nothing bad or negative, it was just something that I knew didn’t need to happen, but was focused on trying to make it work because it seemed like the right thing a few months ago. Throw in a few new elements and things can quickly change.

It’s really amazing how God works. He can take you through seemingly similar experiences (more than once) and they can have diametrically different outcomes each time. 

But… this is how He seems to work in my life. He lets me “focus” on something, thinking it’s going to turn out a certain way, only to throw my a curve ball and have the outcome look totally different. The amazing thing is that each time you see why He protected you from your “obsessions” and was in complete control all along.

However, I’m lucky to have my wife and family in my life who are there to help guide me and are stable forces in my life through all of my OCD moments. Without them, I’d be a mess!

Does that make any sense? Doubt it…

New SBC President June 11, 2008

Johnny Hunt quote from the 2007 SBC Pastor’s Conference:

By the way, aren’t you grateful, that there’s hope? Listen to me carefully, its important we understand this convention. There’s hope for everyone in Jesus. Everyone. Everyone. Not a select group. Everyone.

Someone says, ‘Pastor you believe that you’re the elect?’ I sure am. Everybody that gets in is the elect; and he’s elected all of us. I believe everyone can be saved. Anyone can come to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Someone said, “I don’t think you ought to preach like that.” Well, I just hope no one gets saved that’s not supposed to.

I’m serious. We better get away from that and get back to the book and invite everyone to come to Christ! Just preach it! Invite everybody! Tell everyone!

Here are some links to some commentaries on Hunt’s statements:

Hunt on Election

Hunt and the Doctrines of Grace

Johnny Hunt on the Sovereignty of God

The Extreme Worship Arts! June 5, 2008

I’m reading through Simple Church again. In one chapter they are talking about having a vision for your personal life, as well as for your church/ministry.

One of the contributing writers talks about the time that he posted a phony job listing on a church staffing website. Unbelievably, he had many responses. Here is the exact posting that was made:

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Pastor of Extreme Worship ArtsMiami, FL
Denomination: Unknown
Worship Style: PostModern / Gen-X
Church Size: 1001 to 1500
Job Status: Full Time

Job Description:
Main Event Church is seeking an exceptional leader to be our Pastor of Extreme Worship Arts. We believe the right person will be a unique fit for for such a time as this. This person serve under the Senior Pastor, and will oversee all areas of worship. Candidates must embrace the Senior Pastor’s vision of aligning all people of all denominations under the same vision. The person must also meet these requirements: Ability to infuse the TULIP doctrine in all worship sets. Postmodern, Visionary, Missional leader capable of creating an ethos and apostolitic movement.

Willing to find some songs written from a premillenial dispensationalist theological tradition

Desires to develop an emerging handbell choir

Some snake handling may be appropriate (for our believers service only)

Agree that the Lord is to be worshiped through magnificent attire and appropriate versions of the Bible

Demonstrate proof of a second blessing… Tongue speaking in various accents is a major plus as we are a multicultural church.

Exegetically establish a movement of fluidity in the Extreme Worship Ministry

We realize that many of these requirements are personal preferences and not biblical mandates. Therefore, each candidate must be aligned with roughly 3/4 of all our requirements. Please send a resume in Microsoft Word or Adobe Reader Format to James atmaineventchurch@yahoo.com

Church: Main Event Church
Contact: James
Email: Click Here to Email
Address: Main Event ChurchATTN: James8945 SW 168 StMiami, FL 33157
Website: www.maineventchurch.com