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Discernment – The act or process of exhibiting keen insight and good judgment. – The Free Online Dictionary We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. – Paul of Tarsus, 1 Corinthians 2:12 [niv] Test everything. Hold [...] While the precise relationship between the original creation and the new heaven and new earth of biblical prophecy is a matter deserving more extended consideration, it seems clear that in the kingdom of God there is a sense of “undoing” the results of sin. There is restoration. There is redemption. The parallels between the new [...] Lectio Divina is a way of reading scripture that allows contemplation, listening to the Holy Spirit, and even communion with God in order to more deeply appreciate and integrate scripture into one’s thinking and being. One may receive peace, guidance, joy, or insight from this practice. We have found it quite beneficial in small group [...] Feminism is not a movement well-regarded by many evangelical Christians today. Most feminist writers today portray religion in general and Christianity in particular as inherently patriarchal and unfair to women. Often Christianity is cast in the role of serving as a tool for the subjugation of women. This is, in my view, a great and [...] Oppression (according to Dictionary.com): the exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner. an act or instance of oppressing. the state of being oppressed. the feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically, by troubles, adverse conditions, anxiety, etc. For our purposes, definitions one and four are helpful to consider. The [...] There are a number of observations that are important in setting a context for considering the matter of women’s leadership in the church. Let’s begin with one of the most striking. The observation is this: both today’s complementarians and today’s egalitarians are radical reformers compared to nearly every traditional position in the history of the [...] Among evangelical Christians in the United States, positions on women in leadership are polarizing into two main camps, most often labeled complementarian and egalitarian. Both camps can at times be uncharitable toward the other, and caricature is not uncommon. Both camps use scripture to justify their position; both are serious about respecting the authority of [...] I’d like to consider the Christian question of women in leadership, particularly as it pertains to leadership in the church, but also briefly touch on the relationship between husbands and wives in a Christian marriage. Much has been written on this topic, so why should I write? Well, there are two specific reasons for these [...] Way Down in the Hole by Tom Waits When you walk through the garden you gotta watch your back well I beg your pardon walk the straight and narrow track if you walk with Jesus he’s gonna save your soul you gotta keep the devil way down in the hole he’s got the fire [...] Recent experience has reminded me again of a difficult issue. The issue is independence. And how independence intersects with community. Americans, and perhaps westerners in general, value independence. We expect people to “pull their own weight” – to “contribute to society”. And there is merit in that, dignity even. Of course, we make exceptions. We [...] |
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